Shloka 87

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

तावेव हंसहिडंबकौ ज्ञेयौ तौ च जनार्दन / विप्रचित्तिसमो ज्ञेयो भौमो वै भूतले स्मृतः

tāveva haṃsahiḍaṃbakau jñeyau tau ca janārdana / vipracittisamo jñeyo bhaumo vai bhūtale smṛtaḥ

ஓ ஜனார்தனனே, அந்த இருவரும் ‘ஹம்சன்’ மற்றும் ‘ஹிடம்பகன்’ என அறியப்பட வேண்டும். மேலும் பூமியில் நினைவுகூரப்படும் ‘பௌமன்’ விப்ரசித்திக்கு ஒப்பானவன் என அறிக.

तौthose two
तौ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन
एवindeed/only
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle)
हंस-हिडंबकौHaṃsa and Hiḍamba
हंस-हिडंबकौ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootहंस (प्रातिपदिक) + हिडंब (प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वन्द्व-समास (copulative): हंसश्च हिडंबश्च; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन
ज्ञेयौto be known (as)
ज्ञेयौ:
Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (प्रत्यय)
Formकृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य, यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; ‘ज्ञातव्यौ’
तौthose two
तौ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)
जनार्दनO Janārdana
जनार्दन:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootजनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन
विप्रचित्ति-समःequal to Vipracitti
विप्रचित्ति-समः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootविप्रचित्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास: विप्रचित्तिना समः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
ज्ञेयःto be known (as)
ज्ञेयः:
Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (प्रत्यय)
Formकृदन्त (gerundive/यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
भौमःBhauma (Naraka)
भौमः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootभौम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, निपात (emphatic/assurance particle)
भूतलेon the earth
भूतले:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootभूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन
स्मृतःis said/remembered
स्मृतः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्मृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
Formकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कथितः/उक्तः’

Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu (Janardana)

Concept: Remembering Janārdana while discerning recurring asuric patterns; the Lord-centered address implies refuge and clarity amid cyclic manifestations.

Vedantic Theme: Smaraṇa of the Lord steadies buddhi; discernment of guṇa-patterns across narratives supports vairāgya and inner purification.

Application: Anchor analysis of social/inner ‘demons’ in devotion and discernment; use sacred remembrance to avoid fascination with negativity and to cultivate steadiness.

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Type: realm/plane

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.12 (continued mapping of demon identities across names/forms)

J
Janardana (Vishnu)
H
Hamsa
H
Hidambaka
V
Vipracitti
B
Bhauma

FAQs

This verse functions as a direct identification note, clarifying names and equivalences used in the Purāṇic narrative so the reader can correctly track lineages and roles of specific beings across chapters and traditions.

This particular verse is not an afterlife instruction; it is a classificatory statement within the dialogue, mapping named beings (Haṃsa, Hiḍambaka, Bhauma) and relating Bhauma to Vipracitti, which supports the broader cosmological framework in which afterlife teachings are situated.

Use it as a reminder to read ritual and philosophical passages with correct textual context—Purāṇas often rely on precise identifications and cross-references to avoid confusion when studying dharma, cosmology, and tradition.