Shloka 33

Viṣṇv-ekapūjya-nirṇaya; Gaṅgā-Viṣṇupadī-māhātmya; Kali-yuga doṣa; Puṣkara-dharma of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

नामात्मिका त्वश्विभार्या उषा नाम प्रकीर्तिता / बुधाधमा सा विज्ञेया स्वाहा दशगुणाधमा

Transliteration

nāmātmikā tvaśvibhāryā uṣā nāma prakīrtitā / budhādhamā sā vijñeyā svāhā daśaguṇādhamā

Translation

มนตรศักติที่เรียกว่า “นามาตมิกา” ได้รับการสรรเสริญว่าเป็น “อุษา” ชายาแห่งอัศวินทั้งสอง จงรู้ว่าเธอต่ำกว่า “พุธาธมา” และ “สวาหา” ต่ำยิ่งกว่านั้นอีกสิบเท่า

Word by Word

• नामात्मिका: named/whose identity is (by) name
• नामात्मिका: कर्ता-विशेषण (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाम + आत्मिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठीभाव (नाम्ना आत्मिका = 'having the name as her nature/identity')

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• अश्विभार्या: wife of the Aśvins
• अश्विभार्या: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्विन् + भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (aśvinoḥ bhāryā)

• उषा: Uṣā
• उषा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• नाम: by name
• नाम: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative/नाम-शब्दः: 'by name')

• प्रकीर्तिता: is proclaimed, is called
• प्रकीर्तिता: कर्ता-विशेषण (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'is proclaimed/called'

• बुधाधमा: inferior to Budha
• बुधाधमा: कर्ता-विशेषण (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुध + अधमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (budhasya adhamā)

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; pronoun nominative singular

• विज्ञेया: is to be known
• विज्ञेया: विधेय (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत् (gerundive/future passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'should be known'

• स्वाहा: Svāhā
• स्वाहा: सम्बन्ध (Apposition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाहा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular (apposition)

• दशगुणाधमा: tenfold inferior
• दशगुणाधमा: कर्ता-विशेषण (Predicate/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशगुण + अधमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (दशगुणेन अधमा = 'tenfold inferior')

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mantras/devatās are differentiated by function and status; discernment (viveka) is applied to subtle correspondences.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa mapping: names/formulas as functional manifestations within the cosmic order (vyavahāra), requiring discriminative understanding.

Application: In ritual or study, maintain clarity about mantra usage and intended devatā; avoid indiscriminate mixing; prioritize devotion to the highest refuge taught elsewhere (Vishnu).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.29 (mantra/devatā identifications: Uṣā, Svāhā, Budhā)

Characters & Entities

• Ashvins
• Usha
• Svaha

FAQs

What is the importance of “Svāhā” in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse treats “Svāhā” as a specific ritual utterance (used in offerings) and places it in a graded comparison of formulae, implying differing ritual efficacy depending on context and prescribed use.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s wider ritual teaching?

It reflects the text’s tendency to classify names, utterances, and ritual elements by relative merit, guiding practitioners to use the correct mantra-forms in the correct rite rather than treating all utterances as equal.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use traditional ritual words (like “svāhā”) only within their proper rite and lineage instruction; precision in mantra and procedure is emphasized over improvisation.