Shloka 35

Devanagari script

वहुरूपाय तीर्थाय त्रिगुणायागुणाय च / ब्रह्मविष्णवीशरूपय मोक्षदाय नमोनमः

Transliteration

vahurūpāya tīrthāya triguṇāyāguṇāya ca / brahmaviṣṇavīśarūpaya mokṣadāya namonamaḥ

Translation

బహురూపుడైన, స్వయంగా తీర్థస్వరూపుడైన, త్రిగుణమయుడూ గుణాతీతుడూ, బ్రహ్మ-విష్ణు-ఈశ రూపంగా ప్రకాశించి మోక్షం ప్రసాదించే వాడికి పునఃపునః నమస్కారం।

Word by Word

• बहुरूपाय: to the many-formed one
• बहुरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (बहु रूपं यस्य/बहुरूपः)

• तीर्थाय: to the sacred ford/pilgrimage (holy one)
• तीर्थाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• त्रिगुणाय: to the one of three guṇas
• त्रिगुणाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः द्विगुः (त्रयो गुणाः यस्य/त्रिगुणः)

• अगुणाय: to the one beyond qualities
• अगुणाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थः (गुणरहितः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ब्रह्मविष्णवीशरूपाय: to the one whose form is Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Īśa
• ब्रह्मविष्णवीशरूपाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + विष्णु + ईश + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्म-विष्णु-ईश-रूपः)

• मोक्षदाय: to the giver of liberation
• मोक्षदाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष + द (प्रातिपदिक; द = √दा (धातु) + कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (मोक्षं ददाति)

• नमोनमः: salutations again and again
• नमोनमः: Sambandha (Salutation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् + नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नमः-शब्दस्य पुनरुक्ति-समुच्चयः; नित्यप्रयोगे अव्ययवत्

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), offering a hymn of salutation within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme grants mokṣa, manifests as Brahmā-Viṣṇu-Īśa, pervades guṇas yet remains nirguṇa; He is the true ‘ford’ for crossing saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna–nirguna synthesis; Brahman as both immanent (guṇa-upādhi) and transcendent (nirupādhika).

Application: Hold a unified vision across sectarian forms; use tīrtha-buddhi (seeing the divine as the real purifier) alongside pilgrimage, japa, and contemplation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (symbolic)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): mokṣa-prada Viṣṇu-stuti and tīrtha-mahātmyas emphasizing inner crossing

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Isha (Shiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of describing the Lord as both triguṇa and aguṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse affirms that the Supreme can be worshipped as manifest within nature (through the three guṇas) while remaining ultimately beyond all qualities—supporting both devotional theism and non-dual transcendence.

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

By focusing on the mokṣa-dātā (giver of liberation), the verse frames the ultimate goal beyond post-death journeys and punishments: liberation through turning to the Supreme who transcends the guṇas.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Use the verse as a daily remembrance that ethical life and ritual have their highest purpose when oriented toward liberation—cultivating devotion, inner detachment from guṇa-driven impulses, and reverence for the divine in all forms.