Shloka 8

Sūrya-upāsanā: Lotus Mandala, Mudrā, Dik-nyāsa, and the Twelve Ādityas

Devanagari script

सविता चैव धाता च विवस्वांश्च महाबलः / त्वष्टा पूषा तथा चेन्द्रो द्वादशो विष्णुरुच्यते

Transliteration

savitā caiva dhātā ca vivasvāṃśca mahābalaḥ / tvaṣṭā pūṣā tathā cendro dvādaśo viṣṇurucyate

Translation

Savitṛ và Dhātṛ, Vivasvān đại lực, Tvaṣṭṛ, Pūṣan và Indra—những vị ấy (cùng với các vị khác) được nói là mười hai hình thái của Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• सविता: Savitṛ
• सविता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• धाता: Dhātṛ
• धाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विवस्वान्: Vivasvān
• विवस्वान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवस्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• महाबलः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; विशेषण (विवस्वान्-आदि हेतु)

• त्वष्टा: Tvaṣṭṛ
• त्वष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• पूषा: Pūṣan
• पूषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूषन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक/रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• द्वादशः: the twelfth
• द्वादशः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्यावाचक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular; क्रम/गणनावाचक विशेषण (इन्द्रः/विष्णुः इत्यादि)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — nominative singular

• उच्यते: is called/said
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) कर्मणि प्रयोग
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि (passive) — ‘is said/called’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda / Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dvādaśa Sūryas/Ādityas are ultimately Viṣṇu—devotion to cosmic light becomes devotion to the Supreme Preserver.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-brahman as accessible unity behind functional multiplicity; nāma-rūpa as expressions of one reality.

Application: Unify diverse devotions and life-roles by remembering a single highest aim; see sustaining intelligence (Viṣṇu) behind daily ‘solar’ functions like nourishment, craftsmanship, duty, and vitality.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-enclosure/mandala-layer

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.17.7 (beginning of dvādaśa-sūrya worship)

Characters & Entities

• Savitṛ
• Dhātṛ
• Vivasvān
• Tvaṣṭṛ
• Pūṣan
• Indra
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the importance of the twelve forms of Viṣṇu in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse frames key Vedic deities—especially solar and cosmic functionaries—as manifestations of Viṣṇu, emphasizing a unified theology where diverse divine powers are expressions of one sustaining reality.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it links cosmic governance (time, order, nourishment, craftsmanship, rulership) to Viṣṇu; such order underlies dharma and the moral structure that later governs post-death consequences described elsewhere in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it to cultivate non-sectarian devotion and gratitude: honor the sustaining forces of life (sun, nourishment, order, duty) as sacred, reinforcing disciplined living aligned with dharma.