Shloka 5

Hari in the Primeval Waters: Prakṛti as Veil, the ‘Sleep’ Metaphor, and Brahmā’s Lotus-Channel Inquiry

Devanagari script

शेत श्रुतिस्वरूपेण स्तौति गर्भोदके हरिम् / नारायण नमस्ते ऽस्तु शृणु विज्ञापनं मम

Transliteration

śeta śrutisvarūpeṇa stauti garbhodake harim / nārāyaṇa namaste 'stu śṛṇu vijñāpanaṃ mama

Translation

เศตะทรงรูปและเสียงแห่งศรุติ (พระเวท) แล้วสรรเสริญพระหริในครรภโททกะว่า—“ข้าแต่พระนารายณะ ขอนอบน้อมแด่พระองค์ โปรดทรงสดับคำทูลของข้าพระองค์.”

Word by Word

• शेत: Śeta (a being/person)
• शेत: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; (नाम/विशेष-नाम)

• श्रुति-स्वरूपेण: in the form of Śruti (Veda)
• श्रुति-स्वरूपेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्रुतेः स्वरूपम्)

• स्तौति: praises
• स्तौति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गर्भ-उदके: in the embryonic waters
• गर्भ-उदके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गर्भस्य उदकम्)

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• नारायण: O Nārāyaṇa
• नारायण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/utterance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (interjection-like)

• ते: to you/your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive use), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विज्ञापनम्: petition/request
• विज्ञापनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञापन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Śeta (addressing Lord Nārāyaṇa/Hari)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śruti itself becomes a praising voice; devotion is aligned with Vedic authority, and prayer is framed as a respectful ‘vijñāpana’ to Nārāyaṇa.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-pramāṇa (śruti as authority) and nāma-stuti as a direct means to orient the mind to Brahman/Īśvara.

Application: Adopt a daily practice of nāma and stuti grounded in śāstra: begin with ‘Nārāyaṇa namas te’ and articulate intentions as humble petitions rather than demands.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: primordial waters

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana devotional/cosmology sections where stuti initiates revelation

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Hari
• Shruti (Vedas)
• Cosmic Waters (Garbhodaka)

FAQs

What is the importance of praising Nārāyaṇa as “Śruti-svarūpa” in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the Vedas (Śruti) as the highest authority and as a living mode of praise, implying that devotion to Nārāyaṇa is validated and carried by Vedic revelation.

How does this verse connect to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching style?

It uses a dialogue-and-petition format: a devotee first offers reverent praise to Hari and then submits a request, a common Purāṇic structure for introducing deeper teachings that follow.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Begin any serious spiritual inquiry or ritual with respectful praise and humility—offer a brief namaskāra to Nārāyaṇa and then state your intention or question with sincerity.