Shloka 18

Hari’s Avatāras and the Cosmic Power of Pativratā-Dharma

Devanagari script

पतिव्रता तु सा सीता ह्यनसूया यथैव तु / पतिव्रताया माहात्म्यं शृणु त्वं कथयाम्यहम्

Transliteration

pativratā tu sā sītā hyanasūyā yathaiva tu / pativratāyā māhātmyaṃ śṛṇu tvaṃ kathayāmyaham

Translation

Sītā quả thật là người vợ giữ trọn đạo phu thê (pativratā), như Anasūyā vậy. Nay hãy lắng nghe—ta sẽ kể về đại oai lực và vinh quang của người pativratā.

Word by Word

• पति-व्रता: devoted to her husband; chaste wife
• पति-व्रता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पत्यौ व्रतम्/निष्ठा यस्याः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सीता: Sītā
• सीता: Karta (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; indeed)

• अनसूया: Anasūyā
• अनसूया: Upamana/Drishtanta (Comparison base/उपमान-आधार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनसूया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नाम (proper noun)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparison/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: ‘as/like’)

• एव: just/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• तु: and/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• पति-व्रतायाः: of the devoted wife (pativratā)
• पति-व्रतायाः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-आधारित प्रातिपदिक ‘पतिव्रता’

• माहात्म्यम्: the greatness/glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Sambodhana/Karta (Addressee/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-संबन्धि सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कथयामि: I tell/narrate
• कथयामि: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; णिच्)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pativratā-mahātmya: steadfast conjugal dharma generates spiritual power and moral authority; Sītā and Anasūyā are paradigms.

Vedantic Theme: Śīla (ethical character) as a purifier of mind (citta-śuddhi), preparing for higher knowledge; devotion expressed as disciplined virtue.

Application: Cultivate fidelity, integrity, and self-restraint; honor mutual responsibility in relationships; treat virtue as a source of strength, not mere social formality.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: didactic setting (narrator-to-listener)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.142.17 (Sītā’s tri-karaṇa fidelity as proof-text)

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Anasuya

FAQs

What is the importance of pativratā-dharma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames pativratā-dharma as a spiritually potent form of household virtue, illustrated through Sītā and Anasūyā, and introduces a teaching on its sacred greatness (māhātmya).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it points to dharmic conduct within household life as a source of spiritual merit, which the Garuda Purana often treats as shaping one’s post-death outcomes and higher destiny.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate fidelity, integrity, and responsibility in committed relationships, treating marital ethics as a disciplined spiritual practice rather than merely a social norm.