Shloka 1

Brahmā’s Curse, Four Births, and the Dharma of Shared Embodiment

Draupadī/Kṛṣṇā

Devanagari script

नाम षोडशो ऽध्यायः गरुड उवाच / चतुर्जन्मसु वै कृष्ण शच्याद्यैः सह भारती / एकदेह विशिष्टैव भुवि जातेति चोक्तवान्

Transliteration

nāma ṣoḍaśo 'dhyāyaḥ garuḍa uvāca / caturjanmasu vai kṛṣṇa śacyādyaiḥ saha bhāratī / ekadeha viśiṣṭaiva bhuvi jāteti coktavān

Translation

Wika ni Garuḍa: “O Kṛṣṇa, tunay ngang nasabi na sa apat na kapanganakan, si Bhāratī (Sarasvatī), kasama si Śacī at iba pa, ay isinilang sa daigdig bilang isang natatanging pagkatao sa iisang katawan.”

Word by Word

• नाम: (entitled)
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (title-marker/‘named’)

• षोडशः: sixteenth
• षोडशः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गरुडः: Garuḍa
• गरुडः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चतुर्-जन्मसु: in four births
• चतुर्-जन्मसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (द्विगु: ‘four births’)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• कृष्ण: O Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्ण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• शची-आद्यैः: with Śacī and others
• शची-आद्यैः: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास/‘etc.’)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition/adverb of accompaniment)

• भारती: Bhāratī (Sarasvatī)
• भारती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एक-देह: one body
• एक-देह: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (पाठानुसारं कर्मपदम्); समासः—तत्पुरुष (द्विगु/संख्यापूर्व: ‘one body’)

• विशिष्टा: distinct/specified
• विशिष्टा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + शिष् (धातु) → विशिष्ट (कृदन्त/कृत)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• जाता: born
• जाता: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त/कृत)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘born’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative)

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

• उक्तवान्: (he) said/declared
• उक्तवान्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्तवत् (कृदन्त/कृत)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्तवतुँ/परिप्रयोग), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (‘having said’)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Multiplicity of births and identities can converge into a single embodied manifestation—suggesting complex workings of subtle identity, karma, and divine arrangement.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa and upādhi: one ‘being’ appearing as many across time; also hints at saṃskāra continuity and the layered constitution of the person (subtle/causal).

Application: Hold doctrinal claims with thoughtful inquiry; recognize that identity can be layered (roles, tendencies, histories) and seek the unifying principle through study and reflection.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: world/plane

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.17 (chapter opening; dialogue frame Garuḍa–Kṛṣṇa); Garuda Purana 3.17.3 (distinct body attainment mentioned shortly after)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Krishna
• Shachi (Indrani)
• Bharati (Sarasvati)

FAQs

What is the importance of Bharati and Shachi being mentioned together in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a doctrinal point about divine powers (Devi aspects) appearing across multiple births, emphasizing unity of manifestation even when many names/forms are cited.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana themes like the soul’s journey or afterlife teachings?

Here the text is in a dialogic, genealogical/theological mode rather than a death-ritual passage; it sets narrative context by recalling prior declarations about births and divine embodiment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages seeing underlying unity behind diverse roles and names—supporting respectful speech (Bharati) and disciplined conduct aligned with dharma in daily life.