Shloka 3

Maṅgalācaraṇa, the Sages’ Inquiry, and Hari as Supreme with an Avatāra-Outline

Devanagari script

सूतं पौराणिकं शान्तं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम् / विष्णुभक्तं महात्मानं नैमिशारण्यमागतम्

Transliteration

sūtaṃ paurāṇikaṃ śāntaṃ sarvaśāstraviśāradam / viṣṇubhaktaṃ mahātmānaṃ naimiśāraṇyamāgatam

Translation

Nakita nila si Sūta—ang matahimik na tagapagsalaysay ng mga Purāṇa, bihasa sa lahat ng śāstra—isang dakilang kaluluwa at deboto ni Viṣṇu, na dumating sa Naimiṣāraṇya.

Word by Word

• sūtam: Sūta (the charioteer/bard)
• sūtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• paurāṇikam: versed in Purāṇas
• paurāṇikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paurāṇika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (सूतम्)

• śāntam: peaceful
• śāntam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (कृदन्त; √śam धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण

• sarvaśāstraviśāradam: expert in all scriptures
• sarvaśāstraviśāradam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + viśārada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषु शास्त्रेषु विशारदः = expert in all scriptures)

• viṣṇubhaktam: devotee of Vishnu
• viṣṇubhaktam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakta (कृदन्त; √bhaj धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘भक्त’; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विष्णोः भक्तः = devotee of Vishnu)

• mahātmānam: the great-souled one
• mahātmānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् आत्मा यस्य/महान् आत्मा = great-souled)

• naimiśāraṇyam: Naimiṣāraṇya
• naimiśāraṇyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naimiṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष/नामधेय (नैमिषम् अरण्यम् = Naimiṣa forest)

• āgatam: arrived
• āgatam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘आगत’ विशेषण (सूतम्)

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta is being described by the sages in Naimiṣāraṇya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Authority of Purāṇic transmission through a शांत (peaceful), śāstra-versed, Viṣṇu-bhakta narrator; sanctity of listening in a holy assembly.

Vedantic Theme: Śravaṇa as a limb of bhakti and a gateway to jñāna; guru/pravaktṛ as upāya (means) for dharma and mokṣa understanding.

Application: Seek qualified teachers; prioritize calmness, scriptural literacy, and devotion as markers of reliable guidance; engage in attentive listening.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: forest-āśrama/tīrtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana narrative frame: sages at Naimiṣa receiving Purāṇic teaching from Sūta

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Viṣṇu
• Naimiṣāraṇya

FAQs

What is the importance of Naimiṣāraṇya in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse places the teaching in Naimiṣāraṇya, a sacred setting that signals an authoritative, tradition-based transmission of Purāṇic knowledge through a qualified narrator.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it establishes the trustworthy speaker (Sūta), whose scriptural mastery and Viṣṇu-bhakti frame later teachings on dharma, rites, and the after-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Seek guidance from calm, learned teachers rooted in scripture and devotion; the verse highlights that spiritual instruction is best received through qualified, ethically grounded transmitters.