Shloka 47

Means to Liberation: Supremacy of Hari, Proper Salutations, and Purāṇic Authority

Devanagari script

शृणुध्वं वै तं विशेषं च विप्रास्त्र्यंशैर्युक्तं गारुडाख्यं पुराणम् / आद्यांशं वै कर्मकाण्डं वदन्ति द्वितीयांशं धर्मकाण्डं तमाहुः

Transliteration

śṛṇudhvaṃ vai taṃ viśeṣaṃ ca viprāstryaṃśairyuktaṃ gāruḍākhyaṃ purāṇam / ādyāṃśaṃ vai karmakāṇḍaṃ vadanti dvitīyāṃśaṃ dharmakāṇḍaṃ tamāhuḥ

Translation

اے برہمنو! اس خاص بات کو سنو۔ گارُڑ نامی پران تین حصّوں پر مشتمل ہے۔ اس کا پہلا حصّہ کرم کانڈ کہلاتا ہے اور دوسرا حصّہ دھرم کانڈ کہا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• शृणुध्वम्: hear (listen)
• शृणुध्वम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (plural), परस्मैपद; √श्रु ‘to hear’

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

• तम्: that (it)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• विशेषम्: distinction; special point
• विशेषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विप्राः: O brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• त्रि-अंशैः: with three parts
• त्रि-अंशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; द्विगुसमास (numeral compound) ‘three parts’

• युक्तम्: endowed (with)
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) → युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘joined/endowed’

• गारुड-आख्यम्: called ‘Gāruḍa’
• गारुड-आख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गारुड (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्देशार्थ ‘named Garuḍa (Gāruḍa)’

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa (text)
• पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आद्य-अंशम्: the first part
• आद्य-अंशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘the first part’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• कर्म-काण्डम्: the ritual section
• कर्म-काण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + काण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘section on rites’

• वदन्ति: they say
• वदन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• द्वितीय-अंशम्: the second part
• द्वितीय-अंशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘the second part’

• धर्म-काण्डम्: the dharma section
• धर्म-काण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + काण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘section on dharma’

• तम्: that (as such)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (refers to the second part)

• आहुः: they call; they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘they have said/they call’

Speaker

Suta (narrator) addressing the assembled Brahmanas (vipras) in a discourse context

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Garuḍa Purāṇa is tri-partite; first is karma-kāṇḍa (rites/actions), second is dharma-kāṇḍa (law/duty).

Vedantic Theme: Integration of pravṛtti (ritual/action) and dharma as preparatory disciplines supporting higher realization.

Application: Use the text as a staged curriculum: begin with disciplined action/ritual competence, then refine conduct and ethical-legal dharma before approaching higher metaphysics.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.1.48 (third: brahma-kāṇḍa; excellence)

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Vipras (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the importance of the Garuda Purana’s division into karma-kanda and dharma-kanda?

This verse frames the text as systematically organized: one portion guides ritual/action (karma-kāṇḍa) and another guides righteous conduct and sacred law (dharma-kāṇḍa), helping readers apply it both in practice and ethics.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: by identifying a karma-kāṇḍa section, it signals that prescribed rites and actions are treated as a structured means affecting outcomes, while dharma-kāṇḍa establishes the ethical foundation that shapes one’s destiny.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the verse as a study guide: follow the ritual guidance with clarity (karma-kāṇḍa) while prioritizing daily ethical discipline and duty (dharma-kāṇḍa) so practice and conduct remain aligned.