Shloka 1

Mahālakṣmī’s Forms, Brahmā’s Fourfold Origin, Vāyu’s Names and Soteriology, and Bhāratī’s Manifestations

Devanagari script

नाम पञ्चदशो ऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / महालक्ष्म्याः स्वरूपं च अवतारान्खगेश्वर / शृणु सम्यङ् महाभाग तज्ज्ञानस्य विनिर्णयम्

Transliteration

nāma pañcadaśo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / mahālakṣmyāḥ svarūpaṃ ca avatārānkhageśvara / śṛṇu samyaṅ mahābhāga tajjñānasya vinirṇayam

Translation

Śrī Kṛṣṇa disse: Ó senhor das aves (Garuda), ó bem-aventurado, escuta atentamente este ensinamento decisivo—descreverei a verdadeira forma de Mahālakṣmī e as Suas encarnações.

Word by Word

• नाम: namely
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पदपूरण/उपपद (particle: ‘indeed/namely’)

• पञ्चदशः: fifteenth
• पञ्चदशः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्च+दश=15) विशेषण (qualifying ‘adhyāyaḥ’)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• श्रीकृष्णः: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• श्रीकृष्णः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (श्री-विशिष्टः कृष्णः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महालक्ष्म्याः: of Mahālakṣmī
• महालक्ष्म्याः: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• स्वरूपम्: true nature, form
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अवतारान्: incarnations
• अवतारान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• खगेश्वर: O lord of birds (Garuḍa)
• खगेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (खगानाम् ईश्वरः)

• शृणु: hear, listen
• शृणु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सम्यक्: properly, well
• सम्यक्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् भागः यस्य)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण (qualifying ‘vinirṇayam’)

• ज्ञानस्य: of knowledge
• ज्ञानस्य: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• विनिर्णयम्: determination, final decision
• विनिर्णयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनिर्णय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (as narrator/teacher) addressing Garuḍa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Authoritative upadesha on Mahalakshmi’s true nature and manifestations as a support for Vishnu-centered devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Ishvara-shakti and divine consort theology as a gateway to tattva-viveka.

Application: Approach Lakshmi-tattva through attentive listening (shravanam) and align prosperity-seeking with Hari-bhakti.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Uttara/Preta-khanda): Vishnu-bhakti and stuti sections where Krishna/Vishnu instructs on tattva and worship; Garuda Purana: Lakshmi-Narayana praise passages (general internal thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Mahālakṣmī
• Garuḍa (Khageśvara)

FAQs

What is the importance of knowing Mahālakṣmī’s form and incarnations in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse frames the topic as “decisive knowledge” (vinirṇaya) taught by Śrī Kṛṣṇa—suggesting that understanding Mahālakṣmī’s nature and manifestations is a foundational doctrine for devotion and right spiritual understanding.

How does this verse set the dialogue context in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

It explicitly identifies the speaker as Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the listener as Garuḍa (Khageśvara), establishing a teacher–disciple transmission where the chapter’s subject is revealed with clarity and authority.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach sacred study and worship with “samyak śravaṇa” (attentive listening): learn the theological meaning of Lakṣmī as divine auspiciousness and align daily conduct with gratitude, generosity, and dharma.