Shloka 20

Ajāna Lineages, Divine Classes, Ṛṣi Catalogues, and the Merit of Śravaṇa-Smaraṇa

Devanagari script

तेभ्यः शतगुणानन्दा देवप्रेष्यास्तु मुख्यतः / स्वमुकेनेव देवैश्च आज्ञाप्याः सर्वदा गणाः

Transliteration

tebhyaḥ śataguṇānandā devapreṣyāstu mukhyataḥ / svamukeneva devaiśca ājñāpyāḥ sarvadā gaṇāḥ

Translation

เมื่อเทียบกับพวกนั้น เหล่าเทวประเศยะ—ทูตแห่งเทพ—มีความปีติสุขมากกว่าร้อยเท่าและเป็นชั้นสูงสุด; หมู่คณะของเขาถูกบัญชาโดยเหล่าเทพอยู่เสมอ ประหนึ่งออกจากพระโอษฐ์ของเทพเอง।

Word by Word

• तेभ्यः: from them
• तेभ्यः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• शतगुणानन्दाः: having happiness a hundredfold
• शतगुणानन्दाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत + गुण + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक); शतगुणानन्द (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); predicate adjective

• देवप्रेष्याः: divine messengers/servants
• देवप्रेष्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + प्रेष्य (प्रातिपदिक); देवप्रेष्य (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• मुख्यतः: chiefly
• मुख्यतः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुख्यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), ‘chiefly/primarily’

• स्वमुकेन: by (their) own mouth
• स्वमुकेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + मुख (प्रातिपदिक); स्वमुख (समास-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle of comparison (उपमावाचक निपात)

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (करण/Agent-instrument; ‘by the gods’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• आज्ञाप्याः: to be commanded
• आज्ञाप्याः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आज्ञा + आप्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक from √आप्/आप्नु ‘to obtain/attain’, in causative sense with ājñā-; used as gerundive)
• Form: Gerundive/obligative (तव्यत्/यत्-अर्थे), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); ‘to be commanded/ordered’

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of time (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• गणाः: groups/hosts
• गणाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gradation of sukha (happiness) among beings according to status/merit and proximity to divine authority.

Vedantic Theme: Tāratamya (gradation) within saṃsāra; īśvara-niyantṛtva (divine governance) over all classes of beings.

Application: Cultivate humility and dharmic conduct rather than envy; orient aspiration toward higher, sattvic service and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: comparative descriptions of lokas and beings’ enjoyments (general thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Devapreṣyas
• Gaṇas

FAQs

What is the importance of divine emissaries (devapreṣyas) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse places devapreṣyas among the foremost celestial functionaries, indicating their elevated status and far greater bliss, and showing they operate directly under divine command.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By describing graded levels of happiness among different classes of beings, the verse supports the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching that the soul’s post-death experience depends on karmic merit and the realm it attains.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live with dharma and cultivate merit—truthfulness, restraint, charity, and devotion—because the text frames higher states as orderly realms governed by divine law, reached through elevated conduct.