Shloka 39

Paramparā (Transmission), Rudra’s Viṣṇu-Dhyāna, and the Garuḍa Purāṇa’s Origin-Impulse

Devanagari script

अहं हि देवो देवानां सर्वलोकेश्वरेश्वरः / अहं ध्येयश्च पूज्यश्च स्तुत्योहं स्ततिभिः सुरैः

Transliteration

ahaṃ hi devo devānāṃ sarvalokeśvareśvaraḥ / ahaṃ dhyeyaśca pūjyaśca stutyohaṃ statibhiḥ suraiḥ

Translation

अहं हि देवो देवानां सर्वलोकेश्वरेश्वरः; अहं ध्येयश्च पूज्यश्च स्तुत्योऽहं स्तुतिभिः सुरैः।

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/हेतुबोधक-निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• देवः: god
• देवः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Sambandha (Part of compound/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक-रूपेण (in compound)

• लोक: worlds
• लोक: Sambandha (Part of compound/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक-रूपेण (in compound)

• ईश्वर: lord
• ईश्वर: Sambandha (Part of compound/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक-रूपेण (in compound)

• ईश्वरः: the Lord of the lords of all worlds
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + लोक + ईश्वर + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक); सर्वलोकेश्वरेश्वर (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वलोकानाम् ईश्वराणाम् ईश्वरः)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ध्येयः: to be meditated upon
• ध्येयः: Karta (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्येय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ध्यै/ध्याय् धातु + यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be meditated upon)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• पूज्यः: to be worshipped
• पूज्यः: Karta (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; पूज् धातु + यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• स्तुत्यः: to be praised
• स्तुत्यः: Karta (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तुत्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; स्तु धातु + यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्तुतिभिः: with praises; by hymns
• स्तुतिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सुरैः: by the gods
• सुरैः: Karta (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari declares supreme lordship and prescribes himself as the object of meditation, worship, and hymnic praise by the Devas.

Vedantic Theme: Parameśvara as sarva-lokeśvareśvara; upāsya-tattva (the worship-worthy Absolute) and the centrality of dhyāna/upāsanā.

Application: Establish a daily triad: dhyāna (meditative recollection), pūjā (offering/ritual devotion), and stuti (recitation), anchoring life in a single highest ideal.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: divine proclamation

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Vishnu-stuti passages and sections on nāma-smaraṇa and dhyāna; Garuda Purana teachings that frame Vishnu as the supreme refuge (śaraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu’s supremacy in the Garuda Purana?

This verse establishes Vishnu as the highest Lord—above even the Devas—framing the Purana’s teachings (including dharma and afterlife topics) within devotion, worship, and remembrance of the Supreme.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

While not describing post-death stages directly, it points to the guiding principle: meditation, worship, and praise of the Supreme Lord are foundational supports for spiritual progress and liberation-oriented living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily dhyāna (remembrance/meditation), pūjā (worship), and stuti (recitation of hymns), aligning actions with devotion and ethical discipline under the ideal of a single supreme divine refuge.