Shloka 41

Acyuta/Vāsudeva Stotra: Avatāra-Salutations, Ritual Totality, Forgiveness Prayer, and Phalaśruti

Devanagari script

अवतारेषु या मूर्तिर्विदूरे देव दृश्यते / परं भावंमजानन्तस्त्वां भजन्ति दिवौकसः

Transliteration

avatāreṣu yā mūrtirvidūre deva dṛśyate / paraṃ bhāvaṃmajānantastvāṃ bhajanti divaukasaḥ

Translation

يا ربّ، إن الصورة التي تُرى من بعيد بين تجلّياتك—من غير معرفة بحقيقتك الباطنة العُليا—حتى الآلهة يعبدونك على ذلك المظهر الخارجي وحده.

Word by Word

• अवतारेषु: in the incarnations
• अवतारेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• या: which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• मूर्तिः: form, manifestation
• मूर्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विदूरे: far away (at a distance)
• विदूरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विदूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (locative of state)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृश्यते: is seen, appears
• दृश्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भावम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• भावम्: true nature, state
• भावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• अजानन्तः: not knowing
• अजानन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु) + शतृ (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त; नञ्-पूर्वक (अ-जानन्तः)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• भजन्ति: worship, adore
• भजन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• दिवौकसः: the dwellers of heaven (gods)
• दिवौकसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवौकस् (प्रातिपदिक; दिव् + ओकस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worship limited to outward avatāra-form without knowing the Lord’s supreme inner reality is incomplete.

Vedantic Theme: Distinction between rūpa-upāsanā (saguṇa) and realization of para-tattva; the Lord transcends even divine conceptualization.

Application: Let form-worship mature into inquiry and contemplation of the Lord’s inner nature; pair pūjā with śravaṇa-manana (study and reflection).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana devotional sections contrasting external ritual with inner realization

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of knowing the 'paraṃ bhāva' (supreme reality) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that worship limited to an outward, visible form is incomplete; true devotion matures into understanding the Lord’s supreme inner nature (paraṃ bhāva).

How does this verse explain the difference between seeing an avatara and realizing the Supreme?

It distinguishes between perceiving a divine manifestation “from afar” (as a form) and recognizing the deeper, transcendent reality that the form points to.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Along with rituals and image-worship, cultivate study, reflection, and inner devotion so worship becomes insight into the Divine’s deeper nature, not merely external reverence.