Shloka 1

Kāraṇa-vyākhyā: Cosmic Agents, Rudra-Forms, Sense-Purity, and Ānanda-Tāratamya

कारणनिरूपणं नाम सप्तदशो ऽध्यायः श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / अथानन्तरजान्वक्ष्ये शृणु पक्षीन्द्रसत्तम / शृणु तान्सावधानेन श्रुत्वा तानवधारय

kāraṇanirūpaṇaṃ nāma saptadaśo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / athānantarajānvakṣye śṛṇu pakṣīndrasattama / śṛṇu tānsāvadhānena śrutvā tānavadhāraya

“Ang kabanatang tinatawag na ‘Pagpapaliwanag ng mga Sanhi.’” Wika ni Śrī Kṛṣṇa: “Ngayon ay ipaliliwanag Ko ang susunod; makinig ka, O pinakamainam sa mga panginoon ng mga ibon. Dinggin mo ito nang buong pag-iingat; pagkarinig, ingatan at unawain mong matibay.”

कारण-निरूपणम्exposition of causes
कारण-निरूपणम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकारण (प्रातिपदिक) + निरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कारणस्य निरूपणम्)
नामnamed
नाम:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाम (अव्यय)
Formसंज्ञा-निर्देशक-अव्यय (particle meaning ‘named/called’)
सप्तदशःseventeenth
सप्तदशः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसप्तदश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (सप्त च दश च = सप्तदश) संख्यावाचक विशेषण
अध्यायःchapter
अध्यायः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
श्री-कृष्णःŚrī Krishna
श्री-कृष्णः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootश्री (प्रातिपदिक) + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रीमान् कृष्णः)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
अथthen
अथ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formआरम्भ/अनन्तर-अव्यय (then/now)
अनन्तरम्afterwards
अनन्तरम्:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: afterwards/next)
जान्know (you all)
जान्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootज्ञा (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; छन्दसि/आर्ष-रूप (जान् = जानीहि/जानन्तु इत्यर्थे ‘know!’)
वक्ष्येI shall tell
वक्ष्ये:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलृट्-लकार (Simple Future), आत्मनेपद, उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन
शृणुlisten
शृणु:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन
पक्षीन्द्र-सत्तमO best of the lord of birds (O Garuḍa)
पक्षीन्द्र-सत्तम:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootपक्षीन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पक्षिणाम् इन्द्रः) + तत्पुरुष (श्रेष्ठः)
शृणुlisten
शृणु:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन
तान्those (things)
तान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (pronoun)
स-अवधानेनattentively
स-अवधानेन:
Karana (करण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + अवधान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; तृतीया-एकवचनार्थे अव्ययवत् (with attention)
श्रुत्वाhaving heard
श्रुत्वा:
Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootश्रु (धातु)
Formक्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having heard’
तान्those
तान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
अवधारयretain/understand firmly
अवधारय:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअव-धा-रय् (धातु; धा + णिच्)
Formलोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Śrī Kṛṣṇa (as the instructing divine speaker to Garuḍa)

Concept: Śravaṇa (attentive hearing) and dhāraṇā (firm grasping) as prerequisites for understanding causes (kāraṇa-nirūpaṇa).

Vedantic Theme: Adhikāritva: preparedness of the listener; knowledge arises through disciplined reception of śāstra-vākya.

Application: Approach teachings with focused attention; review and internalize immediately after hearing (note-taking, repetition, contemplation).

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Pretakalpa dialogic frame (Kṛṣṇa–Garuḍa) used throughout for instruction; Garuda Purana: didactic openings that command śravaṇa and avadhāraṇa

G
Garuḍa (Pakṣīndra)

FAQs

This verse frames the section as a focused teaching on causality—why outcomes arise—preparing the listener to understand karma and its results with clarity.

Indirectly: it sets up the next instruction as essential knowledge to be heard carefully, implying that understanding causes (karma) is key to understanding what the soul experiences later.

Approach ethical and spiritual teachings with attentiveness and retention—listen carefully, reflect, and apply—so actions are guided by clear understanding of cause and consequence.