Shloka 17

Dṛṣṭānta on Siddhi: Pitṛ-Procedure, Non-Delusion, and Vyākaraṇa Classifications

Devanagari script

कर्मसर्पिर्वपुस्तेज अज्झलन्ता नपुंसके / जाया जरा नदी लक्ष्मीः श्रीस्त्रीभूमिर्वधूरपि

Transliteration

karmasarpirvapusteja ajjhalantā napuṃsake / jāyā jarā nadī lakṣmīḥ śrīstrībhūmirvadhūrapi

Translation

‘కర్మ’, ‘సర్పిః (నెయ్యి)’, ‘వపుః (దేహం)’, ‘తేజః’ మరియు ‘అజ్ఝలంతా’—ఇవి నపుంసక లింగంలో ప్రయోగించబడతాయి। ‘జాయా’, ‘జరా’, ‘నది’, ‘లక్ష్మీ’, ‘శ్రీ’, ‘స్త్రీ’, ‘భూమి’, ‘వధూ’—ఇవి స్త్రీలింగం।

Word by Word

• कर्म: action; deed
• कर्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्पिः: ghee
• सर्पिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वपुः: body
• वपुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तेजः: splendor; energy
• तेजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अज्झलन्ताः: (words) beginning with vowels and ending in consonants (technical term)
• अज्झलन्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्झलन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नपुंसके: in the neuter (gender)
• नपुंसके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नपुंसक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (locative sense), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण-प्रयोग (as qualifier)

• जाया: wife
• जाया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जरा: old age
• जरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नदी: river
• नदी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• लक्ष्मीः: Lakṣmī; fortune
• लक्ष्मीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रीः: Śrī; prosperity
• श्रीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्त्री: woman
• स्त्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूमिः: earth; ground
• भूमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वधूः: bride; daughter-in-law
• वधूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वधू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (teaching Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Linguistic gender as a conventional mapping onto concepts (substance, quality, relation), including culturally charged terms like Lakṣmī/Śrī.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa and adhyāropa (superimposition) in language: categories are useful conventions, not ultimate reality.

Application: In chanting, commentary, and translation, preserve grammatical gender where it affects agreement and meaning; note culturally loaded feminine terms (Lakṣmī/Śrī) with reverential precision.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.206.15; Garuda Purana 1.206.16; Garuda Purana 1.206.18; Garuda Purana 1.206.19

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmī
• Śrī

FAQs

What is the importance of grammatical gender (liṅga) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights correct noun-gender usage so that recitation, quotation, and ritual readings preserve accurate Sanskrit forms and meanings.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

It does not describe the soul’s journey directly; it serves as a linguistic clarification within the teaching context, supporting precise scriptural transmission.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use these gender cues when chanting or writing Sanskrit—especially in ritual contexts—so declensions and agreements remain correct and the text is preserved faithfully.