Shloka 38

Vīrya, Māyā/Prakṛti, Śrī’s Inseparability, Paramāṇu, and Hari’s Infinitude

Devanagari script

खगेन्द्रातः प्रकृतिः सूक्ष्मरूपा सा नित्या सा सत्यभूता सदैव / एवं स्वयं कालवाय्वादिकानां परा (रमा)णवः सत्यरूपाश्च सन्ति

Transliteration

khagendrātaḥ prakṛtiḥ sūkṣmarūpā sā nityā sā satyabhūtā sadaiva / evaṃ svayaṃ kālavāyvādikānāṃ parā (ramā)ṇavaḥ satyarūpāśca santi

Translation

ఓ ఖగేంద్రా! ప్రకృతి సూక్ష్మరూపిణి, నిత్యమైనది, సదా సత్యస్వరూపమైనది. అలాగే కాలం, వాయువు మొదలైన తత్త్వాల పరమ అణువులు కూడా తమ తమ స్వరూపంలో సత్యరూపములై ఉన్నవి।

Word by Word

• khagendra: O Khagendra (Garuda)
• khagendra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (कर्मधारय sense: ‘king of birds’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• ataḥ: therefore/from this
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; ablatival adverb/particle (तस्मात्/अतः)

• prakṛtiḥ: Prakṛti (primordial nature)
• prakṛtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sūkṣma-rūpā: subtle-formed
• sūkṣma-rūpā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūkṣma (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय: ‘subtle in form’); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying prakṛtiḥ

• sā: she/that (Prakṛti)
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• nityā: eternal
• nityā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying sā/prakṛtiḥ

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• satya-bhūtā: truly existent/real
• satya-bhūtā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय: ‘become/constituted as truth’); Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निपात)

• evam: thus
• evam: Prakāra-adhikaraṇa (प्रकाराधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; manner adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• svayam: of itself
• svayam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; reflexive adverb (स्वार्थे)

• kāla-vāyu-ādikānām: of time, wind, and the rest
• kāla-vāyu-ādikānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vāyu (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (समाहार/ādi-compound: ‘of time, wind, etc.’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• paramāṇavaḥ: atoms
• paramāṇavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paramāṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• satya-rūpāḥ: real in nature
• satya-rūpāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय: ‘having real form’); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying paramāṇavaḥ

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

• santi: exist/are
• santi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prakṛti is subtle and eternal; likewise time, wind, and other principles have real existence in their own nature (satya-rūpa).

Vedantic Theme: Tattva enumeration and ontological realism about subtle principles; distinction between subtle causes and gross effects; groundwork for understanding bondage and liberation through knowledge of categories.

Application: Use cosmological reflection to cultivate detachment: recognize the layered subtle causes behind experience; observe time and breath (vāyu/prāṇa) as gateways to contemplative stability.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Prakriti
• Kala (Time)
• Vayu (Wind)

FAQs

What is the importance of Prakriti in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Prakriti as subtle, eternal, and truly existent—establishing her as a foundational metaphysical principle from which manifest processes proceed.

How does this verse explain the nature of Time and Wind?

It treats Time (kāla) and Wind (vāyu), along with other fundamentals, as possessing “supreme atoms” and an objectively real nature—subtle causes underlying visible change.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages seeing life’s changes as governed by subtle, lawful principles (time, breath, nature), supporting steadiness, discipline, and reflective living rather than impulsive reactions.