Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अष्टादशपुराणानि तानि मां प्राह वै शुकः / इदं तु गारुडं श्रेष्ठं मया ते शौनकेरितम्

Transliteration

aṣṭādaśapurāṇāni tāni māṃ prāha vai śukaḥ / idaṃ tu gāruḍaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ mayā te śaunakeritam

Translation

అష్టాదశ పురాణములు—అవి నిజముగా శుకుడు నాకు చెప్పెను. అయితే ఈ గారుడ పురాణము శ్రేష్ఠము; శౌనకుని ప్రేరణతో నేను నీకు దీన్ని ఉపదేశించితిని.

Word by Word

• अष्टादशपुराणानि: the eighteen Purāṇas
• अष्टादशपुराणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (अष्टादशानि पुराणानि)

• तानि: them
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्राह: said/told
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle/निपात)

• शुकः: Śuka
• शुकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle/विरोधार्थक)

• गारुडम्: Gāruḍa (pertaining to Garuḍa)
• गारुडम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गारुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (पुराणस्य)

• श्रेष्ठम्: the best
• श्रेष्ठम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शौनकेरितम्: prompted/uttered by Śaunaka
• शौनकेरितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शौनक (प्रातिपदिक) + ईरित (कृदन्त; √ईर्/ईर्-प्रेरणे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (शौनकेन ईरितम् = by Śaunaka prompted/uttered); भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

Speaker

Suta (Sauti) narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya, addressing Śaunaka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śāstra-prāmāṇya (scriptural authority) and the supremacy/fruitfulness of Garuḍa Purāṇa when received through authentic transmission.

Vedantic Theme: Śruti-smṛti-prāmāṇya and guru-paramparā as a means to right knowledge and devotion to Viṣṇu.

Application: Approach the text with trust in lineage; study/recite under guidance, treating it as a primary devotional-dharma resource.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: assembly

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: phalaśruti passages praising śravaṇa/pāṭha/likhana (various adhyāyas); Garuda Purana: narrator–Śaunaka dialogue framing sections

Characters & Entities

• Śuka (Śukadeva)
• Śaunaka

FAQs

What is the importance of calling the Garuda Purana “śreṣṭha” (the best) in this verse?

The verse elevates the Garuḍa Purāṇa’s authority within the Purāṇic corpus and frames it as a specially valued text in the received teaching lineage.

How does this verse establish the authenticity of the Garuda Purana’s teaching?

It anchors the narration in a recognized transmission chain—Śuka as the source, and Sūta recounting it to Śaunaka—signaling traditional legitimacy.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach texts like the Garuḍa Purāṇa through a reliable lineage or careful study, valuing context and faithful transmission when applying teachings to dharma and ritual life.