Garuda Purana — Moksha Sadhana Prakarana, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

अनन्तकर्णेश सुचन्द्रसंज्ञ श्रोत्रेण नित्यं न कथा श्रुता ते / श्रुता मया बहुधा लोकवार्ता दृष्टो मया त्वं केन पुण्येन देव

Transliteration

anantakarṇeśa sucandrasaṃjña śrotreṇa nityaṃ na kathā śrutā te / śrutā mayā bahudhā lokavārtā dṛṣṭo mayā tvaṃ kena puṇyena deva

Translation

Ó Anantakarṇeśa—ó tu, conhecido como Sucandra—embora tenhas ouvidos, não tens escutado constantemente o discurso sagrado. Eu, porém, ouvi muitas narrativas mundanas; e ainda assim eu Te vi, ó divino—por qual mérito (puṇya) obtive esta visão?

Word by Word

• अनन्त-कर्ण-ईश: O Lord of infinite ears
• अनन्त-कर्ण-ईश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अनन्ताः कर्णाः यस्य सः ईशः)

• सुचन्द्र-संज्ञ: O one named Sucandra
• सुचन्द्र-संज्ञ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुचन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सुचन्द्र इति संज्ञा यस्य)

• श्रोत्रेण: with the ear
• श्रोत्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative: always)

• न: not
• न: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• कथा: (your) story
• कथा: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रुता: was heard
• श्रुता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (कथा) श्रुता = was heard

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

• श्रुता: was heard
• श्रुता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (लोकवार्ता) श्रुता = was heard

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• बहुधा: many times
• बहुधा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (in many ways/many times)

• लोक-वार्ता: worldly talk
• लोक-वार्ता: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + वार्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य वार्ता)

• दृष्टः: seen
• दृष्टः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अहं) दृष्टः = I have seen

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• केन: by what?
• केन: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• पुण्येन: by merit
• पुण्येन: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• देव: O God
• देव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing a divine being (likely Vishnu) within the dialogue frame

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śravaṇa (hearing sacred discourse) is the proper use of the senses; worldly talk dissipates merit, yet grace can still grant darśana, urging reform.

Vedantic Theme: Indriya-vyāpāra redirected from viṣaya to īśvara-kathā; sādhana through śravaṇa leading to inner purification.

Application: Replace gossip/news-addiction with daily scripture listening; attend satsanga; practice ‘one hour of kathā’ discipline and reduce idle speech.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: emphasis on Viṣṇu-kathā and nāma as purifiers (general motif)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of śravaṇa (hearing sacred kathā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse contrasts sacred hearing with mundane talk, implying that attentive listening to dharmic discourse is a direct means of cultivating puṇya and spiritual clarity.

How does this verse connect puṇya with divine vision (darśana)?

The speaker wonders what merit enabled him to see the divine, presenting darśana as a fruit of accumulated puṇya rather than mere curiosity or worldly knowledge.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Reduce idle “lokavārtā” and regularly listen to or study dharmic texts; treat spiritual learning as a discipline that builds character and merit.