Shloka 7

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

कबन्धावरणं ह्याद्यं कोट्या दशसहस्रकम् / द्वितीया वरणं ज्ञेयं पावकस्य महात्मनः

Transliteration

kabandhāvaraṇaṃ hyādyaṃ koṭyā daśasahasrakam / dvitīyā varaṇaṃ jñeyaṃ pāvakasya mahātmanaḥ

Translation

เครื่องหุ้มชั้นแรกคือ ‘กพันธะ-อาวรณะ’ มีขนาดหนึ่งโกฏิและหนึ่งหมื่น (โยชนะ) ส่วนเครื่องหุ้มชั้นที่สองพึงรู้ว่าเป็นของมหาตมันปาวกะ คือไฟศักดิ์สิทธิ์.

Word by Word

• कबन्ध-आवरणम्: the kabandha-covering
• कबन्ध-आवरणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kabandha + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kabandhasya āvaraṇam)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात), emphasis

• आद्यम्: first
• आद्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• कोट्या: by a crore
• कोट्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• दश-सहस्रकम्: ten thousand
• दश-सहस्रकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa + sahasraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); द्विगु-समास (daśa-sahasrakam = ten-thousand)

• द्वितीया: second
• द्वितीया: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvitīyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• वरणम्: covering/enclosure
• वरणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• ज्ञेयम्: is to be known
• ज्ञेयम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive/obligatory participle (कृत्: यत्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• पावकस्य: of fire
• पावकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled
• महात्मनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic order is articulated through named layers; fire as an enclosure symbolizes both limitation and purification within manifestation.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-based elements as boundary conditions of experience; purification (pāvaka) as metaphor for inner tapas that ‘encloses’ and disciplines the mind.

Application: Adopt ‘pāvaka’ symbolism: practice inner purification (tapas, japa, ethical restraint) to create protective boundaries for attention and conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic boundary layers

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana continuation listing remaining āvaraṇas and their measures

Characters & Entities

• Pāvaka (Agni)
• Kabandha

FAQs

What is the importance of the āvaraṇas (enclosures) in the Garuda Purana?

They function as cosmological boundaries that structure the post-death landscape, helping describe how realms are layered and measured in the Purana’s account.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By listing successive enclosures—first Kabandha, then Pāvaka (Fire)—the text frames the soul’s post-mortem journey as passing through ordered zones, each with distinct qualities and scale.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages seriousness about death-rites and ethical living: the afterlife is portrayed as structured and consequential, prompting disciplined conduct and mindful observance of śrāddha and related duties.