Shloka 44

Hari-stuti by Śrī, Brahmā, Vāyu, Sarasvatī, Śeṣa, Garuḍa, Rudra, Vāruṇī and Pārvatī

Humility, Surrender, and the Power of the Name

Devanagari script

शेष उवाच / नाहं च जाने तव पादमूलं रुद्रो न वेत्ति गरुडो न वेद / अहं वाण्याः शतगुणांशहीनो दत्त्वा ह्यायतनं पाहि मां वासुदेव

Transliteration

śeṣa uvāca / nāhaṃ ca jāne tava pādamūlaṃ rudro na vetti garuḍo na veda / ahaṃ vāṇyāḥ śataguṇāṃśahīno dattvā hyāyatanaṃ pāhi māṃ vāsudeva

Translation

เศษะกล่าวว่า—ข้าพเจ้าไม่รู้ถึง ‘รากแห่งพระบาท’ ของพระองค์ (ฐานอันสูงสุด) แม้รุทระก็ไม่รู้ แม้ครุฑก็ไม่รู้ ข้าพเจ้าด้อยในกำลังวาจาถึงร้อยเท่า กระนั้นเมื่อได้ถวายที่พำนัก/ที่รองรับนี้แล้ว ขอพระวาสุเทวะทรงคุ้มครองข้าพเจ้าด้วย

Word by Word

• शेषः: Śeṣa
• शेषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• जाने: know
• जाने: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पादमूलम्: the root of (your) feet
• पादमूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda-mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पादस्य मूलम्)

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

• न: not
• न: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• वेत्ति: knows
• वेत्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• वेद: knows
• वेद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/लट्-रूपवत् वैदिक/छान्दस प्रयोग; सामान्यतः लिट् (Perfect) 3rd sg ‘knows/has known’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वाण्याः: of speech (Vāṇī)
• वाण्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• शतगुणांशहीनः: deficient by a hundredfold
• शतगुणांशहीनः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śata-guṇa-aṃśa-hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (शतगुणैः अंशैः हीनः = lacking by hundredfold parts)

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having given)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चय/हेतौ निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• आयतनम्: abode/seat
• आयतनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyatana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पाहि: protect
• पाहि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वासुदेव: O Vāsudeva
• वासुदेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

Speaker

Śeṣa (Ādiśeṣa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even Rudra, Garuḍa, and Śeṣa cannot know the Lord’s ultimate foundation; refuge (śaraṇāgati) and service are the proper response.

Vedantic Theme: Parabrahman’s transcendence beyond even the highest devas; śeṣatva (the jīva as dependent) and īśvara’s ananta-tattva.

Application: Adopt humility in spiritual claims; emphasize surrender and service—offer one’s capacities as ‘āyatana’ (support) for dharma and devotion, then seek protection through prayer.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: metaphysical foundation

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated exaltation of Vāsudeva as beyond comprehension of gods (general thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva (Vishnu)
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Garuḍa
• Śeṣa

FAQs

What is the importance of ‘pādamūla’ (the root of the Lord’s feet) in this Garuda Purana verse?

Here ‘pādamūla’ signifies the ultimate foundation and transcendental nature of Vāsudeva—so profound that even great deities cannot fully comprehend it, emphasizing divine supremacy and the devotee’s humility.

How does this verse fit the Garuda Purana’s broader spiritual message?

Although the Garuda Purana is famous for after-death topics, this verse highlights a core theological theme: surrender (śaraṇāgati) to Vāsudeva, acknowledging the limits of intellect and speech and seeking divine protection.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate humility in spiritual practice: admit limitations, avoid pride in knowledge or eloquence, and adopt a daily habit of surrender—prayerfully seeking protection and guidance from the Divine.