Shloka 164

Brahmin Conduct, Purificatory Baths, and the Garuḍa–Nectar Episode

Illustrative Narrative

Devanagari script

मोचयित्वा तु तामंबां गरुडः सुष्ठुतां गतः । एतस्मिन्नंतरे शक्रो जहार सहसा सुधाम्

Transliteration

mocayitvā tu tāmaṃbāṃ garuḍaḥ suṣṭhutāṃ gataḥ | etasminnaṃtare śakro jahāra sahasā sudhām

Translation

ਉਸ ਮਾਤਾ ਨੂੰ ਮੁਕਤ ਕਰਵਾਉਣ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ, ਗਰੁੜ ਸਫਲਤਾਪੂਰਵਕ ਚਲਾ ਗਿਆ। ਇਸ ਦੌਰਾਨ, ਇੰਦਰ ਨੇ ਅਚਾਨਕ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਹਰ ਲਿਆ।

Word by Word

• mocayitvā: having released
• mocayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Absolutive; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: moc (मुच्/मोच् धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्ययभावः (gerund/क्त्वान्त), पूर्वकालिकक्रिया; धातु: मुच्/मोच् (to release)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/अनुक्रमसूचक

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ambām: mother (Ambā)
• ambām: Karma (Object; apposition to tām)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ambā (अम्बा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• garuḍaḥ: Garuḍa
• garuḍaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa (गरुड प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• suṣṭhutām: well-being / good repute (state)
• suṣṭhutām: Karma/Phala (result-state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suṣṭhu (सुष्ठु अव्यय) + tā (ता प्रत्यय; भाववाचक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (state of being well-praised/approved)

• gataḥ: went/attained
• gataḥ: Kriyā (predicate: went/attained)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (गम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), भूतकालिक/परिणामवाचक; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (as predicate with garuḍaḥ)

• etasmin: in this
• etasmin: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• antare: interval / meantime
• antare: Adhikaraṇa (time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antara (अन्तर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; etasmin antare = ‘in the meantime’

• śakraḥ: Śakra (Indra)
• śakraḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (शक्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• jahāra: carried off / stole
• jahāra: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (हृ धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• sahasā: suddenly
• sahasā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (सहसा अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• sudhām: nectar (amṛta)
• sudhām: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sudhā (सुधा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; specific dialog speaker not indicated by this single verse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: tām+ambām → tāmaṃbāṃ (anusvāra by sandhi); etasmin+antare → etasminnaṃtare (n doubling, anusvāra); sudhām unchanged. suṣṭhutām taken as भाववाचक-नाम from suṣṭhu + tā.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Śakra (Indra)
• Sudhā/Amṛta

FAQs

Who is Śakra in this verse, and what does he do?

Śakra is Indra, king of the devas. The verse states that he suddenly takes (seizes/carries off) the sudhā, i.e., amṛta (nectar of immortality).

What is the narrative sequence implied here regarding Garuḍa?

Garuḍa first releases the ‘ambā’ (a revered mother/lady), and while this occurs, Indra takes the nectar—showing a swift, opportunistic action in the intervening moment.

What ethical or thematic lesson can be drawn from this shloka?

The verse highlights how outcomes can shift quickly in a brief interval: even after a noble act (release), others may act swiftly to secure power or advantage—encouraging vigilance and discernment in moral narratives.