Shloka 25

Kālin̄dī’s Austerity; True Tapas and Prāyaścitta; Kṛṣṇa’s Grace and Marriage

Devanagari script

यो देवानामाद्य अकार एव यतो ब्रह्माद्या नैव पूर्णाः समस्ताः / लक्ष्मीप्रसादाच्चिरपुण्येन जातो यथायोग्यं पूर्णगुणो विरिञ्चः

Transliteration

yo devānāmādya akāra eva yato brahmādyā naiva pūrṇāḥ samastāḥ / lakṣmīprasādāccirapuṇyena jāto yathāyogyaṃ pūrṇaguṇo viriñcaḥ

Translation

Ele é o ‘A’ primordial (akāra) entre os deuses; por causa d’Ele, nem mesmo Brahmā e as demais divindades são plenamente completos em sua totalidade. Pela graça de Lakṣmī e pelo mérito acumulado por longo tempo, nasceu Viriñca (Brahmā) e, na medida devida, foi dotado de qualidades completas.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; relative pronoun

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• आद्यः: the first/primeval
• आद्यः: कर्तृविशेषण (Predicate adjective/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate with यः

• अकारः: the letter ‘a’ (akāra)
• अकारः: समानााधिकरण (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to आद्यः

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis/only)

• यतः: because
• यतः: हेतु (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (because)

• ब्रह्माद्याः: Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्माद्याः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (brahmā-ādi = Brahmā and others)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• पूर्णाः: complete
• पूर्णाः: कर्तृविशेषण (Predicate adjective/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; predicate of ब्रह्माद्याः

• समस्ताः: all/entire
• समस्ताः: कर्तृविशेषण (Adjectival modifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; qualifying ब्रह्माद्याः

• लक्ष्मीप्रसादात्: from/through Lakṣmī’s grace
• लक्ष्मीप्रसादात्: अपादान (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (lakṣmyāḥ prasādaḥ = grace of Lakṣmī)

• चिरपुण्येन: by long merit
• चिरपुण्येन: करण (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिर + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (cira-puṇya = long-standing merit)

• जातः: born/arisen
• जातः: कर्तृविशेषण (Predicate adjective/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate

• यथायोग्यम्: as appropriate
• यथायोग्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + योग्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पूर्णगुणः: endowed with complete qualities
• पूर्णगुणः: कर्तृविशेषण (Predicate adjective/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (pūrṇa-guṇa = having full qualities)

• विरिञ्चः: Viriñca (Brahmā)
• विरिञ्चः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरिञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme is the primordial principle (here linked with akāra); even high deities are not absolutely complete. Brahmā’s qualified fullness arises through Lakṣmī’s grace and accumulated merit.

Vedantic Theme: Tārātamya (gradation among beings) and dependence of jīvas/devas on Īśvara; śabda-brahma symbolism (akāra) pointing to the Supreme ground.

Application: Hold reverence for devas while anchoring ultimate reliance in Hari; integrate mantra-awareness (primordial sound) with humility about created hierarchies.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: hierarchical comparisons among deities and emphasis on Viṣṇu’s supremacy (general thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmi
• Brahma (Virincha)
• Devas
• Akara (Pranava-related syllable)

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘akāra’ in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse presents ‘akāra’ as the primordial principle (seed sound/first letter) tied to the origin of the gods, indicating that divine manifestation proceeds from a foundational, supreme source.

How does this verse explain the hierarchy between Brahmā and the supreme source?

It states that even Brahmā and other deities are not absolutely complete on their own; Brahmā (Viriñca) arises through accumulated merit and by Lakṣmī’s grace, implying dependence on a higher reality.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate humility and devotion: spiritual excellence is portrayed as arising from grace (prasāda) and sustained merit (puṇya), encouraging consistent dharmic living and reverence for the divine source.