Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

विष्वक्सेनं विना सर्वे जयाद्या विष्णुपार्षदाः / अभवन्समहीनाश्च विष्वक्सेनादनन्तरम्

Transliteration

viṣvaksenaṃ vinā sarve jayādyā viṣṇupārṣadāḥ / abhavansamahīnāśca viṣvaksenādanantaram

Translation

เมื่อปราศจากวิศวักเสนะ บรรดาบริวารแห่งพระวิษณุ—มีชัยยะเป็นต้น—ภายหลังวิศวักเสนะโดยฉับพลันก็ขาดจากฐานะและศักดิ์ศรีอันควร

Word by Word

• विष्वक्सेनम्: Viṣvaksena (as the one absent/from whom separated)
• विष्वक्सेनम्: अपादान (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्वक्सेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; proper noun

• विना: without
• विना: सम्बन्ध/उपपद-निर्देशक (उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपात; ‘without’ (governs accusative)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• जय-आद्याः: Jaya and others
• जय-आद्याः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जय (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘जयः आदिः येषाम्’ इति (आदि-तत्पुरुष/बहुवचन-समूहवाचक)

• विष्णु-पार्षदाः: attendants of Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-पार्षदाः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + पार्षद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः पार्षदाः)

• अभवन्: became / were
• अभवन्: क्रिया (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• समहीनाः: equally diminished/deprived
• समहीनाः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘सम्-हीन’ = equally deprived

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• विष्वक्सेनात्: from Viṣvaksena
• विष्वक्सेनात्: अपादान (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्वक्सेन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: कालाधिकरण (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘immediately/afterwards’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine order and dependence: even exalted beings lose station without the proper divine principle/leader (Viṣvaksena).

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sambandha as the ground of dignity and function; separation from the sustaining principle leads to ‘samahīnatā’ (loss of rightful status).

Application: Cultivate humility and alignment with dharma and devotion; recognize that roles and honors are contingent and should be anchored in service (sevā) rather than ego.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: divine abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.5.42 (inferiority of subordinate regulators)

Characters & Entities

• Vishvaksena
• Vishnu
• Jaya
• Vishnu-parshadas

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishvaksena in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Viṣvaksena as essential to the order and stability of Viṣṇu’s divine retinue; without him, even exalted attendants like Jaya lose their proper standing.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it emphasizes hierarchy and rightful station: spiritual progress is tied to alignment with dharma and proper service, mirroring how divine attendants retain dignity through rightful order.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain discipline and right order in worship and duty—respect roles, teachers, and sacred procedures—since stability and dignity arise from proper alignment rather than mere status.