Shloka 21

Jāmbavatī’s Vaiṣṇava-Ācāra: Grace, Sense-Consecration, and Pilgrimage to Śrīnivāsa on Veṅkaṭādri

Devanagari script

सुहृज्जनैः पुत्रमित्रादिकैश्च दीर्थाटनं नैव कुर्यां मुकुन्द / कुर्वन्ति ये काम्यया तीर्थयात्रां तेषां संगं कुरु दूरे मुकुन्द

Transliteration

suhṛjjanaiḥ putramitrādikaiśca dīrthāṭanaṃ naiva kuryāṃ mukunda / kurvanti ye kāmyayā tīrthayātrāṃ teṣāṃ saṃgaṃ kuru dūre mukunda

Translation

يا موكوندا، لا أريد أن أُجري الترحالَ في الحجّ مع الأقارب والرفاق—الأبناء والأصدقاء ونحوهم. والذين يؤدّون رحلة التيـرثا طمعًا في مكاسب دنيوية، فاجعلني بعيدًا عن صحبتهم، يا موكوندا.

Word by Word

• suhṛt-janaiḥ: with friendly people
• suhṛt-janaiḥ: Sahakāraka (सह/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suhṛt-jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; Karmadhāraya: suhṛt (friendly) + jana (people)

• putra-mitra-ādikaiḥ: with sons, friends, and others
• putra-mitra-ādikaiḥ: Sahakāraka (सह/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra-mitra-ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; Dvandva: putra + mitra + ādi (etc.)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• tīrtha-aṭanam: pilgrimage-wandering
• tīrtha-aṭanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha-aṭana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: tīrtha + aṭana (wandering)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• eva: at all/indeed
• eva: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• kuryām: I should do
• kuryām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 1st person, Singular

• mukunda: O Mukunda
• mukunda: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukunda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• kurvanti: they do
• kurvanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Plural

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; relative pronoun

• kāmyayā: with desire (for rewards)
• kāmyayā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; abstract sense 'with desire/for a desired end'

• tīrthayātrām: pilgrimage
• tīrthayātrām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha-yātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural; demonstrative pronoun

• saṃgam: association
• saṃgam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• kuru: do/make
• kuru: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• dūre: at a distance / far away
• dūre: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; used adverbially

• mukunda: O Mukunda
• mukunda: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukunda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu (Mukunda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāmya (desire-motivated) pilgrimage and social roaming dilute spiritual fruit; seek niṣkāma, bhakti-centered yātrā.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga principle: purification depends on intention (saṅkalpa) and saṅga; desire binds, renunciation frees.

Application: Undertake pilgrimages with clear sādhana goals (darśana, japa, śravaṇa, seva); avoid turning yātrā into tourism, status display, or networking.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: pilgrimage path

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring contrast between niṣkāma dharma and kāmya acts; praise of bhakti over mere external travel (general thematic link)

Characters & Entities

• Mukunda
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of desireless pilgrimage in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that pilgrimages done with kāmya motives (seeking gains) are spiritually inferior; it emphasizes purity of intention and discourages association with desire-driven religiosity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By prioritizing inner detachment and right association over outward travel, it implies that spiritual progress depends on mindset (niṣkāma attitude) rather than mere ritual movement, shaping one’s karmic trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Undertake pilgrimages for devotion and self-purification, not status or rewards; choose companions who support discipline, simplicity, and prayer rather than worldly display.