Garuda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 1

Bhikṣu-Dharma and the Paramahaṃsa Ideal

Devanagari script

नाम द्व्युत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच / भिक्षोर्धर्मं प्रवक्ष्यामितं निबोधत सत्तमाः / वनाद्गृहाद्वा कृत्वेष्टिं सर्ववेदसदक्षिणाम्

Transliteration

nāma dvyuttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ yājñavalkya uvāca / bhikṣordharmaṃ pravakṣyāmitaṃ nibodhata sattamāḥ / vanādgṛhādvā kṛtveṣṭiṃ sarvavedasadakṣiṇām

Translation

耶若阇婆迦说道：“如今我将宣说比丘（行乞出家者）之法；诸善中最胜者，当善加领受。既已依诸吠陀所定，在林中或在家中完成应行之祭祀，并具足应施之达克希那（祭师供养）……”

Word by Word

• nāma: (called) / namely
• nāma: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/marker), अध्याय-शीर्षकसूचक (title marker)

• dvi-uttara-śata-tamaḥ: one hundred and second (102nd)
• dvi-uttara-śata-tamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या) + uttara (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (तमप्) ‘ordinal’; समासः—द्व्युत्तरशत (102) + तम

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• yājñavalkyaḥ: Yājñavalkya
• yājñavalkyaḥ: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājñavalkya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (ऋषिनाम)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• bhikṣoḥ: of a mendicant
• bhikṣoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhikṣu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• dharmaṃ: duty, rule of conduct
• dharmaṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• pravakṣyāmi: I shall explain
• pravakṣyāmi: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vac (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• itaṃ: this
• itaṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• nibodhata: understand, take note
• nibodhata: Kriya (Injunction/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni√budh (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• sattamāḥ: O best ones
• sattamāḥ: Sambodhana (Vocative sense/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तद्धितान्त (तमप्) ‘superlative’

• vanāt: from the forest
• vanāt: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• gṛhāt: from the house
• gṛhāt: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Kriya (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having done’

• iṣṭiṃ: a sacrifice/rite (iṣṭi)
• iṣṭiṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• sarva-veda-sadakṣiṇām: with all Vedic (requirements) and with due fee (dakṣiṇā)
• sarva-veda-sadakṣiṇām: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + veda (प्रातिपदिक) + sa-dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—(सर्ववेद) + (सदक्षिणा) ‘with proper fee’; ‘iṣṭiṃ’ इति विशेषण

Speaker

Yājñavalkya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhikṣu-dharma is grounded in Vedic conformity and proper completion of sacrificial obligations (iṣṭi) with due dakṣiṇā before/while entering mendicancy.

Vedantic Theme: Adhikāra and saṃskāra: purification and eligibility for higher pursuit through disciplined duty.

Application: Complete obligations responsibly (including fair compensation/offerings) before adopting a new life-stage; treat renunciation as regulated, not impulsive.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta-kalpa sections on āśrama-dharma and śrāddha merit (general thematic link)

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Bhikṣu
• Vedas

FAQs

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

This verse opens a focused teaching that frames renunciation as a disciplined dharma, grounded in Vedic authority and proper completion of obligatory rites before the mendicant path.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through right conduct and properly concluded rites, which are presented as supports for spiritual readiness and liberation-oriented living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Complete responsibilities ethically, honor sacred obligations with integrity (including fair offerings/support), and then pursue simplicity and self-discipline as a spiritual practice.