Shloka 39

Kāraṇa-vyākhyā: Cosmic Agents, Rudra-Forms, Sense-Purity, and Ānanda-Tāratamya

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वादृष्ट्वा पादपीठं हरेश्च पुनः पुना रुद्धङ्कठो बभूव / रुरोद रुद्रो भयकंपिताङ्गः कथं पुनः श्रवणं स्यात्कथायाः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvādṛṣṭvā pādapīṭhaṃ hareśca punaḥ punā ruddhaṅkaṭho babhūva / ruroda rudro bhayakaṃpitāṅgaḥ kathaṃ punaḥ śravaṇaṃ syātkathāyāḥ

Translation

เมื่อรุดระได้ทอดพระเนตรแท่นรองพระบาทของพระหริซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า ลำคอของท่านก็จุกแน่น พรั่นพรึงจนกายสั่น รุดระร่ำไห้และรำพึงว่า “จะมีโอกาสได้ฟังเรื่องนี้อีกได้อย่างไร?”

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): having seen

• अदृष्ट्वा: having not seen
• अदृष्ट्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund): having not seen

• पाद-पीठम्: footstool
• पाद-पीठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पादस्य पीठम्)

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (again)

• पुनः: again and again
• पुनः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (again; repeated)

• रुद्ध-कण्ठः: with choked throat
• रुद्ध-कण्ठः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्ध (कृदन्त, क्त; √रुध्) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (रुद्धः कण्ठः यस्य)

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• रुरोद: wept
• रुरोद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भय-कम्पित-अङ्गः: whose limbs trembled with fear
• भय-कम्पित-अङ्गः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + कम्पित (कृदन्त, क्त) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भयेन कम्पितानि अङ्गानि यस्य)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (again)

• श्रवणम्: hearing
• श्रवणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्यात्: may be / could be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कथायाः: of the story
• कथायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (within the Vishnu–Garuda discourse), describing Rudra’s reaction

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even exalted beings are overwhelmed by Hari’s sanctity; repeated contemplation of the Lord’s feet evokes bhakti-rasa and longing for kathā-śravaṇa.

Vedantic Theme: Supremacy of Nārāyaṇa; pāda-sevā as a gateway to inner stillness; bhakti as transformative affect (āhlāda-śakti).

Application: Adopt pāda-smaraṇa (remembering the Lord’s feet) in prayer; revisit sacred narratives repeatedly; allow devotional emotion to soften ego rather than suppress it.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: divine court/shrine setting (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: praise of Viṣṇu’s pāda and kathā as purifying (general motif)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Rudra (Shiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of Hari-katha (hearing the Lord’s account) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that hearing sacred narrative is not casual entertainment; it evokes profound awe and inner transformation—so intense that even Rudra is overwhelmed.

How does this verse connect to the Garuda Purana’s teachings on fear, sin, and dharma?

Rudra’s trembling indicates the gravity of the subject being discussed—divine truth and moral consequence—reinforcing that dharma-related teachings (often including post-death outcomes) should be heard with seriousness and humility.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach scripture and ethical teaching with reverence: listen attentively, reflect on conduct, and let the teaching produce sincere restraint and devotion rather than mere curiosity.