Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

आदौ स्नात्वा हरिनिर्मात्यगन्धं विसर्जयित्वा श्रवणं वै चकार / पित्रा साकं भोजनं चापि कृत्वा अग्रे दिने क्रोशमेकं जगाम

Transliteration

ādau snātvā harinirmātyagandhaṃ visarjayitvā śravaṇaṃ vai cakāra / pitrā sākaṃ bhojanaṃ cāpi kṛtvā agre dine krośamekaṃ jagāma

Translation

أولًا اغتسل، ثم طرح العِطر الذي أعدّه هري جانبًا؛ وبعد ذلك أدّى على وجهه الصحيح شعيرة السماع (śravaṇa). ثم أكل مع أبيه، وفي اليوم التالي مضى قُدُمًا مسافة كروشا واحدة (نحو ميلين).

Word by Word

• आदौ: at first
• आदौ: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (locative used adverbially); ‘in the beginning’

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having bathed’

• हरिनिर्मात्यगन्धम्: fragrance prepared by Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिनिर्मात्यगन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि + निर्मात्य + गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (हरिणा निर्मातः गन्धः / हरिनिर्मात्यः गन्धः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विसर्जयित्वा: having discarded
• विसर्जयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√सृज् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund); ‘having discarded/let go’

• श्रवणम्: listening/hearing
• श्रवणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/assurance)

• चकार: did/performed
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पित्रा: with (her) father
• पित्रा: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• साकम्: together with
• साकम्: Sahartha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साकम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक अव्यय (adverb/preposition: ‘together with’)

• भोजनम्: meal/eating
• भोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

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

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund); ‘having done’

• अग्रे: afterwards
• अग्रे: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (locative used adverbially); ‘afterwards/next’

• दिने: on the day
• दिने: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• क्रोशम्: a krosha (distance measure)
• क्रोशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying क्रोशम्)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śravaṇa (devotional listening) and śauca (purity) are integral to pilgrimage; disciplined routine sanctifies movement.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana through śravaṇa leading to antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (inner purification).

Application: On pilgrimage (or any spiritual retreat), keep a daily rhythm: cleanse, listen/learn, eat mindfully, and proceed with moderation rather than haste.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-route

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated stress on Hari-kathā/śravaṇa during tīrtha-yātrā; Garuda Purana: conduct codes for travelers and ritual purity

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Pitri (father)

FAQs

What is the importance of śravaṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents śravaṇa as a formal observance performed after ritual purification, indicating that hearing sacred instruction/recitation is treated as a meritorious rite supporting proper post-death order and dharmic conduct.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul (preta) after death?

It depicts a regulated sequence—bathing, relinquishing ritual fragrance, performing śravaṇa, and then moving onward the next day by a measured distance (one krośa), reflecting the staged, day-by-day progression described in the Preta Kanda.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain ritual cleanliness, include respectful śravaṇa/recitation in ancestral or funeral-related observances, and follow prescribed steps with discipline rather than haste—treating rites as structured dharma, not mere custom.