Shloka 35

Ahaṅkāra-Tripartition and the Rise of Indriyas, Devatās, and Cosmic Administrators

Devanagari script

चत्वारिंशत्तथा सप्त महतः परिकीर्तिताः / द्वावुक्ताविति विज्ञेयो प्रवहोतिवहस्तथा

Transliteration

catvāriṃśattathā sapta mahataḥ parikīrtitāḥ / dvāvuktāviti vijñeyo pravahotivahastathā

Translation

ดังนี้ ‘สายใหญ่’ (กระแส/หมวด) ได้ประกาศไว้สี่สิบเจ็ดประการ และพึงเข้าใจว่ายังมีอีกสองที่กล่าวไว้ คือ ประวหะ และ อติวหะ

Word by Word

• चत्वारिंशत्: forty
• चत्वारिंशत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चत्वारिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचनरूपेण संख्या (numeral 'forty')

• तथा: and
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (also/and)

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचनार्थे (numeral 'seven')

• महतः: of the great (ones)
• महतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; 'of the great (ones)'

• परिकीर्तिताः: are proclaimed
• परिकीर्तिताः: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि—'have been proclaimed'

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), द्विवचन (Dual)

• उक्तौ: (the) two are said
• उक्तौ: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), द्विवचन (Dual); 'two are said'

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण (thus)

• विज्ञेयः: is to be understood/known
• विज्ञेयः: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive: 'to be known'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन

• प्रवहः: Pravaha (name)
• प्रवहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन

• अतिवहः: Ativaha (name)
• अतिवहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति + वह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom./1st), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (अति-वहः)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (also)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right knowledge includes precise enumeration and correct categories; tradition preserves order through named divisions (pravāha/ativāha).

Vedantic Theme: Vyavahāra-jñāna (conventional knowledge) as a support for dharma and ritual correctness; naming as a tool for cognition.

Application: When studying śāstra or performing rites, verify lists and categories; avoid confusion by learning the ‘main set’ and the ‘additional’ items separately.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.5.34 (preceding invocations); Garuda Purana 3.5.36-38 (subsequent enumerations: Viśvedevas, Ṛbhus, Pitṛs)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Pravaha
• Ativaha

FAQs

What is the importance of Pravaha and Ativaha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Pravaha and Ativaha as two specifically named currents/divisions, indicating a technical classification used to describe how movement or “carrying along” occurs in subtle/otherworldly contexts.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By enumerating many ‘great’ divisions and then adding two named ones, the text signals that the soul’s post-death passage is described through structured categories, not as a vague journey, implying ordered routes/currents in the preta narrative.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat death-rites and ethical living seriously: the Purana frames the after-death state as governed by order and law, encouraging disciplined conduct (dharma) and proper śrāddha/pinda-related observances.