Shloka 6

Gāruḍa-Māhātmya and Tārkṣya-Stotra: Fruits of Hearing/Reciting and the Power of Garuḍa’s Praise

Devanagari script

महासारं धर्मकामधनमोक्षादिदायकम् / सूत उवाच / शौनक प्रवरं प्रोक्तं पुराणं गारुडं तव

Transliteration

mahāsāraṃ dharmakāmadhanamokṣādidāyakam / sūta uvāca / śaunaka pravaraṃ proktaṃ purāṇaṃ gāruḍaṃ tava

Translation

Sūta disse: “Ó excelente Śaunaka, o Garuḍa Purāṇa que te foi ensinado é de grande essência, concedendo dharma, kāma, riqueza e libertação, e assim por diante.”

Word by Word

• महासारम्: of great essence
• महासारम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (पुराणम् इत्यस्य)

• धर्मकामधनमोक्षादिदायकम्: bestowing dharma, kāma, wealth, mokṣa, etc.
• धर्मकामधनमोक्षादिदायकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + धन (प्रातिपदिक) + मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + दायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः; 'धर्मादीन् ददाति' इति

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शौनक: O Śaunaka
• शौनक: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• प्रवरम्: excellent
• प्रवरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (पुराणम् इत्यस्य)

• प्रोक्तम्: spoken/expounded
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गारुडम्: Gāruḍa (named/related to Garuḍa)
• गारुडम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गारुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (पुराणम् इत्यस्य)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Garuḍa Purāṇa is ‘mahāsāra’ and grants dharma, kāma, artha (dhana), and mokṣa—integrating worldly order with liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Purāṇas as upabṛṃhaṇa of Vedic intent: harmonizing pravṛtti (life aims) with nivṛtti (mokṣa).

Application: Use the text as a balanced guide: ethical living (dharma), responsible prosperity (artha), regulated desire (kāma), and steady pursuit of liberation (mokṣa).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: forest hermitage/sacrificial grove

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.240.5 (brahma-phala from hearing); Garuda Purana 1.240.7 (Vyāsa’s role; Veda division)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Śaunaka
• Garuḍa Purāṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of the Garuḍa Purāṇa according to this verse?

It is praised as “mahāsāra” (highly essential) and as a text that grants the fourfold aims of life—dharma, kāma, wealth, and mokṣa—along with related benefits.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by presenting the Garuḍa Purāṇa as a source that leads up to mokṣa, it frames the text as guidance for right living and liberation—foundational for understanding later teachings on death, afterlife, and rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach the Garuḍa Purāṇa as a practical guide for ethical conduct (dharma) and spiritual progress (toward mokṣa), not only as a text for funerary contexts.