Shloka 2

Garuḍa’s Return to Vaikuṇṭha and the Comprehensive Inquiry into Death-Rites and the Preta’s Journey

Devanagari script

नैमिषे ऽनिमिषक्षेत्रे शौनकाद्या मुनीश्वराः / कर्मणामन्तरे सूतं स्वासीनमिदमब्रुवन्

Transliteration

naimiṣe 'nimiṣakṣetre śaunakādyā munīśvarāḥ / karmaṇāmantare sūtaṃ svāsīnamidamabruvan

Translation

Em Naimiṣa, no sagrado campo de Animisha, os grandes sábios chefiados por Śaunaka, num intervalo entre seus ritos, dirigiram-se a Sūta, ali sentado, com estas palavras.

Word by Word

• नैमिषे: in Naimiṣa
• नैमिषे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनिमिषक्षेत्रे: in the Animiṣa-field (sacred region)
• अनिमिषक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिमिष + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अनिमिषाणां क्षेत्रम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शौनकाद्याः: Śaunaka and others
• शौनकाद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौनक + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (शौनकः आदिः येषाम्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मुनीश्वराः: lordly sages
• मुनीश्वराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (मुनय एव ईश्वराः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कर्मणाम्: of the rites/acts
• कर्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• अन्तरे: in the interval/during
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (Temporal setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, उपसर्गसदृश-प्रयोग/अव्ययीभावार्थे; ‘मध्ये/अवसरे’

• सूतम्: Sūta
• सूतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• स्वासीनम्: seated comfortably
• स्वासीनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of object/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-उप + आस् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘well-seated’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karman (Object—speech content/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• अब्रुवन्: said/spoke
• अब्रुवन्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (narrative frame: the sages address Sūta)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha / sacrificial forest-field

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Naimiṣa framing dialogue; Sūta as narrator; Śaunaka-led ṛṣi assembly (common Purāṇic frame).

Characters & Entities

• Naimisha (Naimiṣāraṇya)
• Śaunaka
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the importance of Naimiṣa (Animisha-kṣetra) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse sets the sacred setting where authoritative teachings are transmitted: Naimiṣa is presented as a sanctified venue where sages pause their rites to seek and preserve dharmic knowledge.

How does this verse connect to Garuda Purana teachings on death rituals and the soul’s journey?

It establishes the narrative frame: sages question Sūta between ritual acts, preparing the listener for systematic instruction—later used to introduce doctrines of karma, post-death states, and prescribed rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach spiritual and ritual duties with inquiry and reflection—use “intervals between actions” to study dharma and clarify intentions behind rites performed for ancestors and ethical living.