Shloka 24

Brahmā’s Curse, Four Births, and the Dharma of Shared Embodiment

Draupadī/Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

तपसा तोषिता विष्णुः शिव संज्ञो महाप्रभुः / वरं प्रादात्तृतीयेस्मिन्कृष्णजन्मनि भो स्त्रियः

Transliteration

tapasā toṣitā viṣṇuḥ śiva saṃjño mahāprabhuḥ / varaṃ prādāttṛtīyesminkṛṣṇajanmani bho striyaḥ

Translation

ਤਪੱਸਿਆ ਨਾਲ ਪ੍ਰਸੰਨ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਵਿਸ਼ਨੂ—‘ਸ਼ਿਵ’ ਨਾਮ ਨਾਲ ਪ੍ਰਸਿੱਧ ਮਹਾਪ੍ਰਭੂ—ਹੇ ਇਸਤ੍ਰਿਓ, ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ ਦੇ ਇਸ ਤੀਜੇ ਜਨਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਇਕ ਵਰ ਬਖ਼ਸ਼ਿਆ।

Word by Word

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: करण (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• तोषिता: pleased/satisfied
• तोषिता: कर्मणि-भाव (resultant state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (सापेक्षं: ‘सा’ इत्यर्थे)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शिव: Śiva
• शिव: सम्बोधन/संज्ञा-निर्देश (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संज्ञा-रूपेण (नाम)

• संज्ञः: named/called
• संज्ञः: विशेषण (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘संज्ञः’ = नामवान्/नामधेयः

• महाप्रभुः: the great lord
• महाप्रभुः: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘महान् प्रभुः’

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रादात्: gave
• प्रादात्: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/लुङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तृतीये: in the third
• तृतीये: अधिकरण (काल/Locative of time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; (सप्तमी-काल/अधिकरण)

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: अधिकरण (काल/देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• कृष्ण-जन्मनि: in (the) birth as Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्ण-जन्मनि: अधिकरण (काल/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘कृष्णस्य जन्म’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• भो: O!
• भो: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: सम्बोधन/श्रोत्र (addressee; contextually vocative sense though form = nominative plural)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purana voice, within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tapas and devotion culminate in īśvara-anugraha (divine grace) that shapes destiny across births.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as the inner controller (antaryāmin) who responds to sincere sādhana; names/forms are secondary to the one Lord.

Application: Sustain disciplined practice (tapas, vrata, japa) with surrender; interpret life-turns as opportunities for grace rather than mere fate.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): emphasis on Viṣṇu-bhakti as refuge in transitions of life/death; Garuda Purana (general): Hari as supreme giver of boons and protector

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shiva
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the importance of tapas (austerity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents tapas as a direct cause of divine satisfaction (toṣitaḥ) and the granting of a boon, showing austerity as a spiritual means to obtain grace and blessings.

Why does the verse say Vishnu is 'known as Shiva' (śiva-saṃjñaḥ)?

It highlights the Purāṇic idea of divine unity: the supreme Lord may be referred to by different names (Hari/Shiva) while remaining one reality, especially when describing divine power and boon-giving.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt disciplined, ethical austerity—such as restraint, sincere worship, and service—so that spiritual effort becomes a steady path toward clarity, devotion, and constructive blessings.