Shloka 51

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

शचीं भर्यां देवराजस्य विद्धि तस्या ह्यवतारं शृणु सम्यक् खगेन्द्र / रामावतारे नाम तारा बभूव सा वालिपत्नी शचीसजका च

Transliteration

śacīṃ bharyāṃ devarājasya viddhi tasyā hyavatāraṃ śṛṇu samyak khagendra / rāmāvatāre nāma tārā babhūva sā vālipatnī śacīsajakā ca

Translation

शचीं देवराजस्येन्द्रस्य भार्यां विद्धि। तस्या अवतारं सम्यक् शृणु, खगेन्द्र। रामावतारे सा तारा नाम बभूव, वालिपत्नी, शचीसम्बन्धजा च।

Word by Word

• śacīm: Śacī
• śacīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śacī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• bharyām: wife
• bharyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; in apposition to śacīm

• deva-rājasya: of the king of gods (Indra)
• deva-rājasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: devānāṃ rājā (king of gods)

• viddhi: know (you should know)
• viddhi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana; √vid (to know)

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana (pronoun)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle (emphasis/indeed)

• avatāram: incarnation, descent
• avatāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• śṛṇu: hear
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; √śru (to hear)

• samyak: properly, well
• samyak: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (properly, completely)

• khagendra: O lord of birds (Garuḍa)
• khagendra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: khagānām indraḥ (lord of birds)

• rāma-avatāre: in the incarnation as Rāma
• rāma-avatāre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th case), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: rāmasya avatāraḥ (Rāma-incarnation)

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; particle indicating name/indeed

• tārā: Tārā
• tārā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tārā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• babhūva: became
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (perfect), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; √bhū (to become)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana (pronoun)

• vāli-patnī: Vāli's wife
• vāli-patnī: Predicate-noun (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vālin (प्रातिपदिक) + patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: vāleḥ patnī (wife of Vāli)

• śacī-sajakā: connected with Śacī (Śacī-born/Śacī-related)
• śacī-sajakā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śacī (प्रातिपदिक) + sajaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: śacyāḥ sajaka (born from/related to Śacī; epithet)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devatā-avatāra/āveśa continuity: the same spiritual principle manifests across yugas and narratives.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa bheda with underlying continuity; recognition (pratyabhijñā) of one principle through changing forms.

Application: Cultivate discernment that roles and identities shift while dharmic patterns persist; read itihāsa as moral-cosmic instruction, not mere story.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: vanara-kingdom/forest realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.28 (avatāra/strī-janma identifications in surrounding verses)

Characters & Entities

• Śacī
• Indra (Devarāja)
• Garuḍa (Khagendra)
• Rāma
• Tārā
• Vāli

FAQs

What is the importance of avatāra-identifications like Śacī becoming Tārā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses avatāra-correspondence to connect Purāṇic deities with Itihāsa characters, helping readers interpret the Ramayana as part of a continuous sacred history.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching style?

It shows the text’s dialogic method—Vishnu instructing Garuda—by giving concise identifications and lineage-style notes to anchor spiritual narratives across yugas.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to read epics and Purāṇas as interconnected teachings—cultivating reverence, ethical reflection, and consistency in dharmic living across contexts.