Shloka 46

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

विशेषात्तत्र गरुड देवैस्तत्त्वाभिमानिभिः / अधश्चोर्ध्वं तदाक्रम्य हरिस्तिष्ठति सर्वदा

Transliteration

viśeṣāttatra garuḍa devaistattvābhimānibhiḥ / adhaścordhvaṃ tadākramya haristiṣṭhati sarvadā

Translation

विशेषात् तत्र गरुड देवैस्तत्त्वाभिमानिभिः। अधश्चोर्ध्वं समाक्रम्य हरिस्तिष्ठति सर्वदा॥

Word by Word

• विशेषात्: from/owing to a special reason
• विशेषात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source-Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणे (cause)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• गरुड: O Garuḍa
• गरुड: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument-Agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• तत्त्वाभिमानिभिः: by those identifying with the principles (tattvas)
• तत्त्वाभिमानिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व + अभिमानिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (tattva-abhimānin = 'having ego/identification with tattvas')

• अधः: below
• अधः: दिक्/अधिकरण (Directional-Locative adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक (directional adverb)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above/upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: दिक्/अधिकरण (Directional adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of direction)

• तत्: that (region/space)
• तत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आक्रम्य: having traversed/covered
• आक्रम्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having stepped/covered)

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• तिष्ठति: stands/abides
• तिष्ठति: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Hari) speaking to Garuda (Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari eternally abides as the all-pervading support of the realm and its presiding deities of tattvas.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin and sarva-vyāpakatva of the Supreme; devatās as functional presiders within the Lord’s overarching being.

Application: Cultivate remembrance that all powers and principles operate within the Divine; practice seeing the sacred in all layers of experience (from ‘below’ to ‘above’).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic region/stratum of principles

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: passages on Viṣṇu as antaryāmin and sarva-ādhāra; Garuda Purana: tattva enumeration and devatā-abhimāna explanations in cosmology sections

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Hari (Vishnu)
• Devas
• Tattva-abhimanis (presiding deities of cosmic principles)

FAQs

What is the importance of tattva-abhimānī devas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that even the presiding deities of the cosmic principles (tattvas) operate within Hari’s all-pervading presence—showing that cosmic governance ultimately rests in the Supreme.

How does this verse explain the structure of the cosmos?

By stating that Hari encompasses the realm “below and above,” it presents the cosmos as layered yet fully pervaded by the Divine, with devas functioning as administrators of specific principles within that totality.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate remembrance that the Divine is present in all conditions—higher and lower—encouraging steadiness, humility, and ethical action aligned with dharma.