Shloka 19

Mahālakṣmī’s Forms, Brahmā’s Fourfold Origin, Vāyu’s Names and Soteriology, and Bhāratī’s Manifestations

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माण्डान्तः पद्मनाभो यो जातः कमलासनः / स चर्तुमुखसंज्ञां चाप्यवाप खगसत्तम

Transliteration

brahmāṇḍāntaḥ padmanābho yo jātaḥ kamalāsanaḥ / sa cartumukhasaṃjñāṃ cāpyavāpa khagasattama

Translation

ข้าแต่ยอดแห่งนก ภายในไข่จักรวาล จากปัทมนาภะได้อุบัติผู้ประทับบนดอกบัว; และยังได้รับนามว่า ‘จตุรมุข’ ผู้มีสี่พักตร์

Word by Word

• ब्रह्माण्डान्तः: inside the Brahmāṇḍa (cosmic egg)
• ब्रह्माण्डान्तः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थे अव्ययीभावसदृश-प्रयोगः (अन्तः = ‘inside’): ब्रह्माण्डस्य अन्तः (within the cosmic egg)

• पद्मनाभः: Padmanābha (Viṣṇu)
• पद्मनाभः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म + नाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: पद्मं नाभौ यस्य (one whose navel has a lotus)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (relative pronoun)

• जातः: born/arisen
• जातः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (PPP), पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘यः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कमलासनः: Kamalāsana (Brahmā)
• कमलासनः: Karta (कर्ता/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमल + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: कमलं आसनं यस्य (one whose seat is a lotus)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• चतुर्-मुख-संज्ञाम्: the name ‘four-faced’
• चतुर्-मुख-संज्ञाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + मुख + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: चतुर्-मुखस्य संज्ञा (the designation ‘four-faced’)

• च: also
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: also/even)

• अवाप: obtained/attained
• अवाप: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• खगसत्तम: O best of birds
• खगसत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: खगानाम् सत्तमः

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Brahmā (Kamalāsana, Caturmukha) arises from Padmanābha; the creator is rooted in Viṣṇu, reinforcing Viṣṇu’s supremacy and worthiness of devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Brahmā’s contingent origin; īśvara as upādāna/nimitta in Purāṇic idiom; devotion grounded in the ultimate source.

Application: In worship and study, trace all powers back to the source (Padmanābha); cultivate humility and devotion; use the lotus image as a meditation symbol for emergence of clarity from the navel-center of the divine.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic structure

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.16.16; Garuda Purana 3.16.17; Garuda Purana 3.16.18; Garuda Purana 3.16.20

Characters & Entities

• Padmanabha (Vishnu)
• Brahma (Kamalasana, Caturmukha)
• Garuda

FAQs

Why is Brahma called Caturmukha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the lotus-seated Brahmā, born within the cosmic egg from Padmanābha, attained the name ‘Caturmukha,’ indicating his four-faced form.

How does this verse describe creation in the Garuda Purana?

It presents a cosmological sequence: within the brahmāṇḍa (cosmic egg), Padmanābha is the source from whom Brahmā (kamalāsana) arises, establishing Viṣṇu as the foundational origin in this account.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages reverence for the cosmic order and humility—seeing one’s duties (dharma) as part of a larger, divinely grounded creation rather than mere personal ambition.