Shloka 54

Kāraṇa-vyākhyā: Cosmic Agents, Rudra-Forms, Sense-Purity, and Ānanda-Tāratamya

Devanagari script

सुकोमलं श्रीतुलस्यास्तथैव सुपुष्पितं चन्द नैश्चर्चितं च / एतादृशं तव वक्षः स्थलं च दृष्टं मया तव कारुण्यदृष्ट्या

Transliteration

sukomalaṃ śrītulasyāstathaiva supuṣpitaṃ canda naiścarcitaṃ ca / etādṛśaṃ tava vakṣaḥ sthalaṃ ca dṛṣṭaṃ mayā tava kāruṇyadṛṣṭyā

Translation

ਤੇਰਾ ਵਕਸ਼ਸਥਲ ਬਹੁਤ ਹੀ ਕੋਮਲ ਹੈ, ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਤੁਲਸੀ ਨਾਲ ਸੁਸ਼ੋਭਿਤ, ਫੁੱਲਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਖਿੜਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਅਤੇ ਚੰਦਨ ਨਾਲ ਲੇਪਿਤ ਹੈ। ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੋ, ਤੇਰੀ ਕਰੁਣਾਮਈ ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਟੀ ਨਾਲ ਮੈਂ ਐਸਾ ਹੀ ਤੇਰਾ ਵਕਸ਼ਸਥਲ ਵੇਖਿਆ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• सु-कोमलम्: very tender/soft
• सु-कोमलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + कोमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु कोमलम्) विशेषणं वक्षःस्थलम् प्रति

• श्री-तुलस्याः: of auspicious Tulasī
• श्री-तुलस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (श्रीरूपा तुलसी)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (so; likewise)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• सु-पुष्पितम्: well-flowered
• सु-पुष्पितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + पुष्पित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु पुष्पितम्)

• चन्दनैः: with sandalwood (paste)
• चन्दनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• चर्चितम्: smeared/anointed
• चर्चितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर्च् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं वक्षःस्थलम् प्रति

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• एतादृशम्: such
• एतादृशम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं वक्षःस्थलम् प्रति

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• वक्षः-स्थलम्: chest-region
• वक्षः-स्थलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वक्षसः स्थलम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥-karaṇa (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• कारुण्य-दृष्ट्या: by (your) compassionate glance
• कारुण्य-दृष्ट्या: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कारुण्यस्य दृष्टिः)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu (Narayana)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devotional adornment (tulasī, flowers, sandal) and the Lord’s compassionate glance are the means by which the devotee truly ‘sees’.

Vedantic Theme: Grace (anugraha) as the decisive factor in spiritual perception; the mind becomes sāttvika through devotional aesthetics.

Application: Offer tulasī and gandha in worship; cultivate a ‘grace-receptive’ attitude—humility and steadiness—rather than demanding experiences.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: divine body-locus

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.18.53 (Kaustubha and Lakṣmī on the chest)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Tulasī
• Sandalwood

FAQs

What is the importance of Tulasī and sandalwood mentioned in this Garuda Purana verse?

They signify pure Vaiṣṇava devotion and sanctified worship—Tulasī as supremely प्रिय (dear) to Vishnu and sandalwood as a cooling, auspicious offering—highlighting the sacredness of the Lord’s presence.

How does this verse explain the role of divine grace in spiritual experience?

Garuda states he could behold the Lord’s divine chest and its sacred adornments specifically through the Lord’s “kāruṇya-dṛṣṭi” (compassionate glance), implying realization is enabled by grace, not effort alone.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate reverent devotion (bhakti) and purity in worship—offer Tulasī (where appropriate) and maintain humility—remembering that deeper spiritual insight is ultimately received through compassion and grace.