Shloka 32

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

शतजन्मनि ब्रह्मत्वं याति पश्चाद्धरेः पदम् / चत्वारिंशद्ब्रह्मकल्पं समारभ्य खगेश्वर

Transliteration

śatajanmani brahmatvaṃ yāti paścāddhareḥ padam / catvāriṃśadbrahmakalpaṃ samārabhya khageśvara

Translation

ਹੇ ਖਗੇਸ਼ਵਰ, ਸੌ ਜਨਮਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਤਵ ਮਿਲਦਾ ਹੈ; ਉਸ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਹਰੀ ਦਾ ਪਦ। ਅਤੇ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ-ਕਲਪਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਆਰੰਭ ਕਰਕੇ (ਅੰਤ ਨੂੰ) ਪਰਮ ਗਤੀ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• शत-जन्मनि: in (the span of) a hundred births
• शत-जन्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘शतस्य जन्म’ (hundred births) locative of time

• ब्रह्म-त्वम्: Brahmā-hood; the state of being Brahmā
• ब्रह्म-त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; भाववाचक तद्धितान्त

• याति: attains
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• हरेः: of Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• पदम्: abode; state; position
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• चत्वारिंशत्-ब्रह्म-कल्पम्: (for) forty Brahmā-kalpas
• चत्वारिंशत्-ब्रह्म-कल्पम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चत्वारिंशत् (संख्याशब्द) + ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; संख्या-पूर्वक तत्पुरुषः—‘चत्वारिंशत् ब्रह्मकल्पाः’ (forty Brahmā-kalpas) as duration/extent (accusative of measure)

• समारभ्य: starting from; having commenced
• समारभ्य: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-रभ् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययीभाव/gerund)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having begun/starting from’

• खग-ईश्वर: O lord of birds (Garuḍa)
• खग-ईश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘खगानाम् ईश्वरः’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even Brahmā-status is a stage; ultimate goal is Hari’s supreme abode attained after vast cycles—implying supremacy of Viṣṇu’s paramapada over created offices.

Vedantic Theme: Distinction between highest created post (Brahmā) and transcendental refuge (Hari-pada); teleology toward paramam padam.

Application: Orient aspiration toward the ultimate (Hari’s refuge) rather than interim attainments; sustain devotion and right conduct over long horizons.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: supreme abode (parama-dhāma)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Vaikuṇṭha/Viṣṇu-bhakti passages (thematic); Garuda Purana: cosmological time (kalpa) discussions (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Brahma
• Garuda (Khageshvara)

FAQs

What is the importance of attaining Hari’s padam (abode) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats Hari’s abode as the supreme spiritual destination, higher than even Brahmā-status, indicating the culmination of long spiritual maturation over many births and cosmic cycles.

How does this verse describe spiritual progress across births and cosmic time?

It presents a graded ascent: first, attainment of Brahmā-like status after many births, and then—over vast stretches measured in Brahmā-kalpas—arrival at Hari’s supreme realm, emphasizing the Purana’s cosmic-scale view of spiritual evolution.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Live with sustained devotion (bhakti), ethical discipline (dharma), and long-term spiritual effort, remembering that the tradition frames liberation as the fruit of consistent practice rather than quick attainment.