Shloka 23

Vīrya, Māyā/Prakṛti, Śrī’s Inseparability, Paramāṇu, and Hari’s Infinitude

Devanagari script

हरेरनन्तरूपाणां स्त्रीरूपाणां खगेश्वर / अनन्तानन्तरूपेण नित्यं शुश्रूषणे रता

Transliteration

hareranantarūpāṇāṃ strīrūpāṇāṃ khageśvara / anantānantarūpeṇa nityaṃ śuśrūṣaṇe ratā

Translation

โอ้ขคเษวร! ในบรรดารูปอันหาที่สุดมิได้ของพระหริ ยังมีรูปฝ่ายสตรีนับไม่ถ้วน; ด้วยรูปอันไม่สิ้นสุดและหลากหลายไม่จบ พวกนางย่อมตั้งมั่นเป็นนิตย์ในศุश्रूษา คือการปรนนิบัติรับใช้ด้วยความภักดี

Word by Word

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• अनन्त-रूपाणाम्: of the endless forms
• अनन्त-रूपाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारयः (अनन्तानि रूपाणि)

• स्त्री-रूपाणाम्: of the female forms
• स्त्री-रूपाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः (स्त्रियाः रूपाणि)

• खग-ईश्वर: O lord of birds
• खग-ईश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• अनन्त-अनन्त-रूपेण: by an endlessly endless form (i.e., innumerable forms)
• अनन्त-अनन्त-रूपेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः (अनन्तं च अनन्तं च रूपम्)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Used adverbially (क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग), indeclinable sense

• शुश्रूषणे: in service/attendance
• शुश्रूषणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• रता: devoted/engaged
• रता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक; √रम् क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle) used adjectivally

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari’s forms are infinite; feminine manifestations are innumerable and eternally oriented to service—indicating the perpetual presence of Śrī-śakti and attendant śaktis across līlā and vaibhava.

Vedantic Theme: Acintya-bhedābheda style intuition (unity with real plurality of forms); śakti doctrine; devotion as eternal disposition (nitya-sevā).

Application: Cultivate a ‘service orientation’ (śuśrūṣā) in daily life as a devotional discipline; see diverse forms and roles as expressions of the one divine order rather than grounds for confusion or reductionism.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.3.22 (Śrī’s nitya-aviyoga)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Garuda (Khageshvara)

FAQs

What is the importance of divine feminine forms mentioned in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that the Lord’s manifestations are limitless and include innumerable feminine expressions, emphasizing the vastness of the divine and the sanctity of devotion expressed through service (śuśrūṣā).

How does this verse connect to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching on the soul’s journey?

While not describing death-ritual mechanics directly, it frames a core Garuda Purana principle: devotion and righteous orientation toward Hari support spiritual clarity, which underlies the text’s guidance on post-death outcomes and dharmic living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady seva—helping, caring, and serving with sincerity—as a daily form of bhakti, training the mind toward humility and discipline that support dharma.