Shloka 56

Brahmāṇḍa-Āvaraṇa Nirūpaṇa, Virajā-Setu, and Prākṛta–Vaikṛta Sṛṣṭi

Devanagari script

सर्वोत्कृष्टं केशवं च विहायान्यमुपासते / तेषामन्धं तमो ज्ञेयं पितॄणां गरुणामपि

Transliteration

sarvotkṛṣṭaṃ keśavaṃ ca vihāyānyamupāsate / teṣāmandhaṃ tamo jñeyaṃ pitṝṇāṃ garuṇāmapi

Translation

Bỏ Keśava—Đấng tối thượng và cao quý nhất—mà thờ phụng kẻ khác. Với họ, hỡi Garuḍa, ngay cả cõi của các Pitṛ (tổ tiên) cũng phải biết là bóng tối mù lòa.

Word by Word

• सर्वोत्कृष्टम्: the most excellent
• सर्वोत्कृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + उत्कृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective)

• केशवम्: Keshava (Vishnu)
• केशवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

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

• विहाय: having abandoned
• विहाय: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having abandoned’

• अन्यम्: another (one)
• अन्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• उपासते: they worship
• उपासते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (Present, 3rd person, Plural; Ātmanepada)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (Genitive, Plural; pronoun)

• अन्धम्: blind, dark
• अन्धम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तमः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; adjective of ‘tamas’)

• तमः: darkness
• तमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

• ज्ञेयम्: is to be known (as)
• ज्ञेयम्: Vidheya (विधेय/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्) कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (gerundive/passive necessity; Neuter, Nom., Sing.)

• पितॄणाम्: of the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• गरुणाम्: of Garuḍas / of Garuḍa’s (people)
• गरुणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक निपात (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Forsaking the सर्वोत्तम Keśava for other worship leads to spiritual darkness; even ancestral attainments are eclipsed without Viṣṇu-centered devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Viṣṇu-paratva; bhakti as the light that transcends intermediate heavens/realms.

Application: Keep primary iṣṭa-devatā focus on Viṣṇu/Keśava; integrate ancestral rites without displacing core devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: otherworld-realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.10.55 (Keśava supreme); Garuda Purana 3.10.57 (right knowledge leads to supreme abode)

Characters & Entities

• Keshava (Vishnu)
• Garuḍa
• Pitṛs (ancestors)

FAQs

What is the importance of worshipping Keśava in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Keśava as the supreme refuge; abandoning him for other worship is described as leading to spiritual blindness, even affecting one’s perceived afterlife state.

How does this verse relate to the afterlife or Pitṛ-loka?

It states that for those who forsake Keśava, even Pitṛ-loka (the ancestral realm often regarded as a meritorious destination) is experienced as “blind darkness,” implying ignorance and lack of true spiritual uplift.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain clarity of spiritual aim: cultivate steady devotion and ethical living aligned with dharma, avoiding confusion that replaces the highest ideal with lesser goals.