Shloka 61

Vishnu-sahasranāma-style Japa: Vishnu as Cosmic Cause and Inner Self

Antaryāmin

Devanagari script

सर्पाणां कारणं चैव(३५०)श्रेयसां कारणं तथा / पूशनां कारणं चैव सर्वेषां कारणं तथा

Transliteration

sarpāṇāṃ kāraṇaṃ caiva(350)śreyasāṃ kāraṇaṃ tathā / pūśanāṃ kāraṇaṃ caiva sarveṣāṃ kāraṇaṃ tathā

Translation

सर्पाणां कारणं चैव श्रेयसां कारणं तथा । पूषणां कारणं चैव सर्वेषां कारणं तथा ॥

Word by Word

• सर्पाणाम्: of the serpents
• सर्पाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• कारणम्: the cause
• कारणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• श्रेयसाम्: of auspicious goods/benefits
• श्रेयसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• कारणम्: the cause
• कारणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; 'likewise/also' (adverb)

• पूशनाम्: of Pūṣans (the deity Pūṣan)
• पूशनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; (पूषन्-देवता/आदित्यविशेष)

• कारणम्: the cause
• कारणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (सामान्य-विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्द (pronominal adjective used substantively)

• कारणम्: the cause
• कारणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; 'likewise/also' (adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The supreme cause underlies both the frightening and the auspicious; also the principle of nourishment (pūṣa/poṣaṇa) and all beings.

Vedantic Theme: Samatva-darśana (equal vision) grounded in one cause; īśvara as sustainer (poṣaṇa) as well as origin.

Application: Train non-reactivity: when encountering fear/disgust or admiration, recall the same divine ground; practice gratitude before food as ‘poṣaṇa’ coming from the Lord.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.15.58-60, 1.15.62 (context: causal and self-analysis)

Characters & Entities

• Serpents (Nāgas)
• Pūṣan (the nourisher / principle of nourishment)
• All beings

FAQs

What is the importance of cosmic causality in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes a single supreme source behind diverse categories of life—serpents, the virtuous, nourishment, and all beings—supporting the Purana’s theological view that the ultimate cause and controller is the Divine (here, Vishnu).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By grounding all beings and even “śreyas” (welfare/virtue) in a single divine cause, the verse frames the soul’s journey as occurring within a divinely ordered moral cosmos—where auspicious outcomes and sustenance are ultimately dependent on alignment with that higher reality.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate humility and ethical living by recognizing that life, sustenance, and spiritual welfare are interconnected within a larger order; practice gratitude, restraint, and dharmic conduct as expressions of alignment with the sustaining source.