Shloka 12

Hari’s Avatāras and the Cosmic Power of Pativratā-Dharma

Devanagari script

शृङ्गवेरं चित्रकूटं दण्डकारण्यमागतः / नासां शूर्पणखायाश्च च्छित्त्वाथ खरदूषणम्

Transliteration

śṛṅgaveraṃ citrakūṭaṃ daṇḍakāraṇyamāgataḥ / nāsāṃ śūrpaṇakhāyāśca cchittvātha kharadūṣaṇam

Translation

พระองค์เสด็จถึงศฤงคเวรปุระ จิตรากูฏ และต่อไปยังป่าทัณฑกะ ครั้นตัดจมูกของศูรปณขาแล้ว จึงทรงปราบขระและทูษณะ

Word by Word

• शृङ्गवेरम्: Śṛṅgaver(a) (place)
• शृङ्गवेरम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्गवेर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/गत्यर्थे लक्ष्य), एकवचन

• चित्रकूटम्: Citrakūṭa (mountain)
• चित्रकूटम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रकूट (प्रातिपदिक; चित्र + कूट)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (स्थलनाम)

• दण्डकारण्यम्: Daṇḍaka forest
• दण्डकारण्यम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्डक + अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘दण्डकस्य अरण्यम्’)

• आगतः: having come/arrived
• आगतः: Kriya (State/result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle in sense), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नासाम्: nose
• नासाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• शूर्पणखायाः: of Śūrpaṇakhā
• शूर्पणखायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूर्पणखा (प्रातिपदिक; शूर्प + नखा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

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

• छित्त्वा: having cut off
• छित्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर-बोधक निपात (particle)

• खरदूषणम्: Khara and Dūṣaṇa
• खरदूषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर + दूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (खरश्च दूषणश्च) एकवचन-समाहार/द्वयार्थे

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration to Garuda/Vinata-putra, in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharma is upheld both by restraint and by force when needed; the forest-exile becomes a field for protecting sages and curbing predatory desire.

Vedantic Theme: Right action (svadharma) in changing āśrama-like conditions; mastery over anger by channeling it into protection rather than vengeance.

Application: Maintain boundaries against harassment; respond proportionately to harm; keep one’s ethical center while moving through disruptive life transitions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: town; sacred hill/forest; wilderness forest

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana’s condensed Rāma-kathā itinerary and demon-slaying episodes in the same narrative run

Characters & Entities

• Śṛṅgaverapura
• Citrakūṭa
• Daṇḍaka forest
• Śūrpaṇakhā
• Khara
• Dūṣaṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of this Ramayana episode in the Garuda Purana?

It situates the Purana’s teaching within well-known dharmic history, highlighting the role of divine incarnation in restoring righteousness and restraining adharma.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana themes like karma and dharma?

By depicting consequences for aggressive wrongdoing (Khara and Dūṣaṇa) and the containment of disruptive desire/violence (Śūrpaṇakhā’s act), it reinforces the Purana’s broader stress on ethical order and karmic outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Uphold boundaries against harm, act decisively to protect dharma, and recognize that actions driven by aggression and violation of others lead to serious consequences.