Shloka 1

Ruci and the Pitṛs: On Marriage, Debts (Ṛṇa), and Desireless Karma

Devanagari script

नाम स्पताशीतितमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / हरिर्मन्वन्तराण्याह ब्रह्मादिभ्यो हराय च / मार्कण्डेयः पितृस्तो त्रं क्रौञ्चुकिं प्राह तच्छृणु

Transliteration

nāma spatāśītitamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / harirmanvantarāṇyāha brahmādibhyo harāya ca / mārkaṇḍeyaḥ pitṛsto traṃ krauñcukiṃ prāha tacchṛṇu

Translation

Wika ni Sūta: “Ito ang tinatawag na ikawalongpu’t walong kabanata. Itinuro ni Hari ang mga Manvantara kay Brahmā at sa iba pang mga ṛṣi, at gayundin kay Hara (Śiva). Inawit ni Mārkaṇḍeya ang himno para sa mga Pitṛ kay Krauñcuki—pakinggan mo iyon.”

Word by Word

• नाम: (called)
• नाम: Sambandha (Label/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देश (particle: 'named/called')

• अष्टाशीतितमः: eighty-eighth
• अष्टाशीतितमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टाशीति + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मन्वन्तराणि: Manvantaras (cosmic periods)
• मन्वन्तराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्वन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• आह: told/said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; आह इति लिट्-रूपम्)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• ब्रह्मादिभ्यः: to Brahmā and others
• ब्रह्मादिभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), बहुवचन

• हराय: to Hara (Śiva)
• हराय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पितृस्तोत्रम्: hymn to the Pitṛs (ancestors)
• पितृस्तोत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + स्तोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्रौञ्चुकिम्: Krauñcuki (name/person)
• क्रौञ्चुकिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रौञ्चुकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राह: said/told
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु; प्राह इति लिट्-रूपम्)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Sūta

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Paramparā: Hari teaches manvantaras to Brahmā and sages (and Hara); Markandeya transmits a Pitṛ hymn to Krauñcuki—scripture as received and handed down.

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra as apauruṣeya/authoritative through lineage; devotion expressed as attentive śravaṇa (listening) and remembrance.

Application: Honor learning lineages; approach teachings with śraddhā and attentive listening; integrate Pitṛ-smaraṇa as part of devotional life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.88 (chapter opening; Pitṛ-stotra to follow)

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Hari (Vishnu)
• Brahmā
• Hara (Shiva)
• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Pitṛs
• Krauñcuki

FAQs

What is the importance of Manvantaras in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces the topic as a teaching of Hari, framing Manvantaras as authoritative cosmic time-cycles that structure dharma, creation, and the succession of Manus.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by introducing a Pitṛ-stotra (hymn to ancestors), it signals the text’s concern with ancestral realms and rites that support the departed—key themes in the Garuda Purana’s after-death framework.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages respect for scriptural transmission and highlights the value of Pitṛ-related practices (e.g., śrāddha and remembrance of ancestors) as part of living dharma.