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

انہوں نے سوت کو دیکھا—پورانوں کے پُرسکون راوی، تمام شاستروں کے ماہر؛ وشنو بھکت مہاتما—جو نیمِش آرانْیہ میں آئے تھے۔

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.