Shloka 9

Mahālakṣmī’s Forms, Brahmā’s Fourfold Origin, Vāyu’s Names and Soteriology, and Bhāratī’s Manifestations

Devanagari script

कृष्णावतारे कन्येव नन्दपुत्रानुजा हि सा / रजोभिमानिभूदेवी भार्या सा सूकरस्य च

Transliteration

kṛṣṇāvatāre kanyeva nandaputrānujā hi sā / rajobhimānibhūdevī bhāryā sā sūkarasya ca

Translation

கிருஷ்ணாவதாரத்தில் அவள் கன்னியாக—நந்தபுத்திரனின் இளைய சகோதரியாக—பிறந்தாள்; ரஜஸின் அபிமானினியான அதே பூதேவி, சூகர (வராஹ) அவதாரத்தின் துணைவியுமாயினாள்।

Word by Word

• कृष्ण-अवतारे: in Kṛṣṇa’s incarnation
• कृष्ण-अवतारे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण-अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: कृष्णस्य अवतारः (incarnation of Kṛṣṇa)

• कन्या: a maiden
• कन्या: Upamāna/Viśeṣya (उपमान/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (particle of comparison: like/as)

• नन्द-पुत्र-अनुजा: younger sister of Nanda’s son
• नन्द-पुत्र-अनुजा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द-पुत्र-अनुजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: नन्दस्य पुत्रः (नन्दपुत्रः) तस्य अनुजा (younger sister of Nanda’s son)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• रजः-अभिमानिनी-भू-देवी: Bhūdevī who identifies with rajas
• रजः-अभिमानिनी-भू-देवी: Viśeṣaṇa/Abheda (विशेषण/अभेद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस्-अभिमानिनी-भू-देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: रजसः अभिमानिनी (identifying with rajas) + भूदेवी (Earth-goddess)

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Viśeṣya/Abheda (विधेय/अभेद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सूकरस्य: of the Boar (Varāha)
• सूकरस्य: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The same divine power manifests across avatāras and roles; Bhūdevī embodies rajas (activity, manifestation) and participates in the Lord’s redemptive acts (Varāha).

Vedantic Theme: Avatāra-vāda and līlā: the One appears in many forms while remaining transcendent; prakṛti’s rajas as the dynamism of worldly order under īśvara.

Application: Hold a unified devotional view across traditions (Kṛṣṇa and Varāha); honor Earth (Bhū) through dharmic living, stewardship, and gratitude as worship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: region/cosmic-mythic locale

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.16.8; Garuda Purana 3.16.10

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Nanda
• Bhudevi
• Varaha (Sukara)

FAQs

What is the importance of Bhūdevī being linked to rajas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Bhūdevī as ‘rajobhimāninī’—associated with rajas—highlighting her role as the dynamic, manifesting principle of the earth in Purāṇic cosmology.

How does this verse connect Kṛṣṇa’s avatāra with earlier divine forms?

It identifies the same divine feminine (Bhūdevī) across avatāra contexts—appearing as Nanda’s son’s younger sister in Kṛṣṇa’s time and as Varāha’s consort in the boar incarnation—showing continuity of divine identities.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages seeing sacred continuity behind changing forms—cultivating reverence for the earth (Bhūdevī) and recognizing how qualities like rajas can be directed toward dharmic action.