Shloka 44

Kāraṇa-vyākhyā: Cosmic Agents, Rudra-Forms, Sense-Purity, and Ānanda-Tāratamya

Devanagari script

सुनासिकं सुष्ठुदन्तं मुरारे दृष्टं मुखं केन पुण्येन देव / घ्रात्वा घ्रात्वा विष्णुनिर्माल्यगन्धं पुनः पुना रुद्धकण्ठो बभूव

Transliteration

sunāsikaṃ suṣṭhudantaṃ murāre dṛṣṭaṃ mukhaṃ kena puṇyena deva / ghrātvā ghrātvā viṣṇunirmālyagandhaṃ punaḥ punā ruddhakaṇṭho babhūva

Translation

Lạy Murari, nhờ công đức nào mà con thấy được khuôn mặt tuyệt đẹp với chiếc mũi thanh tú và hàm răng ngọc ngà ấy? Hết lần này đến lần khác, sau khi hít hà hương thơm từ vòng hoa thánh (Nirmalya) của Vishnu, cổ họng Ngài lại nghẹn ngào xúc động.

Word by Word

• सु-नासिकम्: (having) a fine nose
• सु-नासिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-सदृश) + नासिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (accusative); कर्मधारय ‘सु’ (good) + ‘नासिक’ (nosed) = having a fine nose

• सुष्ठु-दन्तम्: (having) excellent teeth
• सुष्ठु-दन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुष्ठु (अव्यय) + दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; कर्मधारय—‘सुष्ठु दन्ताः यस्य’ = with excellent teeth

• मुरारे: O Murāri
• मुरारे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुरारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (vocative)

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृष्ट (कृदन्त; √दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) used predicatively; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया; ‘(तत्) दृष्टम्’ = seen

• मुखम्: face
• मुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nom/acc)

• केन: by what
• केन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: एकवचन, तृतीया (instrumental interrogative)

• पुण्येन: merit
• पुण्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया (instrumental)

• देव: O God
• देव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (vocative)

• घ्रात्वा: having smelled
• घ्रात्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √घ्रा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) ‘having smelled’

• घ्रात्वा: having smelled (again and again)
• घ्रात्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √घ्रा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त; पुनरुक्ति = repeatedly

• विष्णु-निर्माल्य-गन्धम्: the fragrance of Viṣṇu’s (offering-)remnants
• विष्णु-निर्माल्य-गन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘विष्णोः निर्माल्यस्य गन्धः’

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक अव्यय

• पुनः: again (repeatedly)
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक अव्यय; ‘पुना पुना’ = again and again

• रुद्ध-कण्ठः: with choked throat
• रुद्ध-कण्ठः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्ध (कृदन्त; √रुध् धातु) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा; ‘with choked throat’

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Contemplation of Vishnu’s auspicious form (saundarya, saulabhya) and reverence for nirmālya deepen bhakti, producing involuntary devotional signs.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-upasana as a stabilizer of mind leading toward inner peace (śānti) and one-pointedness.

Application: Practice rūpa-dhyāna (meditation on the Lord’s face) and receive temple prasāda/nirmālya with gratitude; allow devotion to soften speech and ego.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (3.18) repeated refrain: 'kena puṇyena' and nirmālya-gandha causing ruddha-kaṇṭha

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Murari
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu nirmālya (offered garlands) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the fragrance of Vishnu’s nirmālya as spiritually potent, producing repeated waves of devotion—so strong that the devotee’s voice/throat chokes with emotion—indicating deep bhakti and accumulated merit (puṇya).

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

By linking divine vision (darśana) and sensory contact with sacred remnants (nirmālya-gandha) to puṇya, the verse implies that devotion-based merit shapes one’s spiritual state and supports favorable progress beyond ordinary suffering-oriented descriptions elsewhere in the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate reverent worship: seek darśana with humility, honor temple prasāda/nirmālya respectfully, and use devotional practices to build steadiness of mind—so that religious acts become inner transformation rather than mere ritual.