Shloka 56

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

सर्वोत्कृष्टं केशवं च विहायान्यमुपासते / तेषामन्धं तमो ज्ञेयं पितॄणां गरुणामपि

Transliteration

sarvotkṛṣṭaṃ keśavaṃ ca vihāyānyamupāsate / teṣāmandhaṃ tamo jñeyaṃ pitṝṇāṃ garuṇāmapi

Translation

Tinalikuran nila si Keśava—ang Kataas-taasan at pinakadakila—at sumamba sa iba. Para sa kanila, O Garuḍa, maging ang daigdig ng mga Pitṛ (mga ninuno) ay dapat makilalang bulag na kadiliman.

Word by Word

• सर्वोत्कृष्टम्: the most excellent
• सर्वोत्कृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + उत्कृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective)

• केशवम्: Keshava (Vishnu)
• केशवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction/particle)

• विहाय: having abandoned
• विहाय: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having abandoned’

• अन्यम्: another (one)
• अन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• उपासते: they worship
• उपासते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (Present, 3rd person, Plural; Ātmanepada)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (Genitive, Plural; pronoun)

• अन्धम्: blind, dark
• अन्धम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तमः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; adjective of ‘tamas’)

• तमः: darkness
• तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

• ज्ञेयम्: is to be known (as)
• ज्ञेयम्: Vidheya (विधेय/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्) कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (gerundive/passive necessity; Neuter, Nom., Sing.)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• गरुणाम्: of Garuḍas / of Garuḍa’s (people)
• गरुणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक निपात (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Forsaking the सर्वोत्तम Keśava for other worship leads to spiritual darkness; even ancestral attainments are eclipsed without Viṣṇu-centered devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Viṣṇu-paratva; bhakti as the light that transcends intermediate heavens/realms.

Application: Keep primary iṣṭa-devatā focus on Viṣṇu/Keśava; integrate ancestral rites without displacing core devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: otherworld-realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.10.55 (Keśava supreme); Garuda Purana 3.10.57 (right knowledge leads to supreme abode)

Characters & Entities

• Keshava (Vishnu)
• Garuḍa
• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the importance of worshipping Keśava in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Keśava as the supreme refuge; abandoning him for other worship is described as leading to spiritual blindness, even affecting one’s perceived afterlife state.

How does this verse relate to the afterlife or Pitṛ-loka?

It states that for those who forsake Keśava, even Pitṛ-loka (the ancestral realm often regarded as a meritorious destination) is experienced as “blind darkness,” implying ignorance and lack of true spiritual uplift.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain clarity of spiritual aim: cultivate steady devotion and ethical living aligned with dharma, avoiding confusion that replaces the highest ideal with lesser goals.