Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

गोभूहिरण्यादिसमस्तदानं दत्त्वा शैलं चारुरोहाथ साध्वी / शालग्रामं स्थापयित्वा स चाग्रे पुनः प्रणामं सापि चक्रे सुभक्त्या

Transliteration

gobhūhiraṇyādisamastadānaṃ dattvā śailaṃ cārurohātha sādhvī / śālagrāmaṃ sthāpayitvā sa cāgre punaḥ praṇāmaṃ sāpi cakre subhaktyā

Translation

وبعد أن قدّمت شتّى العطايا—من الأبقار والأرض والذهب وسواها—صعدت المرأة الفاضلة تلًّا جميلًا. ثم وضعت حجر شالاغراما (Śālagrāma) أمامها، فعادت فانحنت ساجدةً، مؤدّيةً تعظيمها ببهكتي صادقة.

Word by Word

• गो-भू-हिरण्य-आदि-समस्त-दानम्: the complete set of gifts such as cows, land, gold, etc.
• गो-भू-हिरण्य-आदि-समस्त-दानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (प्रातिपदिक) + हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + समस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास: ‘गोभूहि-रण्यादीनां समस्तं दानम्’

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• शैलम्: the mountain
• शैलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; अत्र नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पर्वतवाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• आरुरोह: ascended
• आरुरोह: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम

• साध्वी: the virtuous woman
• साध्वी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गुणवाचक-नाम (virtuous woman)

• शालग्रामम्: a Śālagrāma stone
• शालग्रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल-ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; अत्र नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विष्णु-शिलाविशेष

• स्थापयित्वा: having installed
• स्थापयित्वा: Kriyā (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) + क्त्वा (gerund): ‘having installed/caused to be placed’

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अग्रे: in front
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial locative): ‘in front/at first’

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्ति (again)

• प्रणामम्: prostration
• प्रणामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-नाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि (also)

• चक्रे: performed
• चक्रे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सु-भक्त्या: with great devotion
• सु-भक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; ‘सुन्दर/श्रेष्ठ भक्ति’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dāna (cows, land, gold, etc.) and worship of Viṣṇu through Śālagrāma with humble praṇāma amplify merit and purify intention.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation: giving and worship offered without ego; saguna-upāsanā as a purifier leading toward śānti.

Application: Combine pilgrimage with ethical generosity; perform worship with a consecrated symbol (Śālagrāma) and repeated praṇāma as a discipline of humility.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mountain (acala) / pilgrimage hill

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dāna-mahātmyas (general); Garuda Purana śrāddha sections that recommend dāna alongside rites (general)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shalagrama

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charity) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse presents dāna—such as gifting cows, land, and gold—as a foundational meritorious act, followed by worshipful reverence, indicating that ethical giving supports spiritual auspiciousness in the Preta-kāṇḍa context.

Why is Śālagrāma mentioned, and what does placing it ‘in front’ signify?

Śālagrāma is a sacred emblem of Viṣṇu; placing it in front establishes a focal presence for worship, after which the devotee offers praṇāma, emphasizing devotion (bhakti) alongside ritual merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Combine generosity (supporting others through honest charity) with sincere daily reverence—keeping a sacred focus in worship and cultivating humility through regular praṇāma or mindful gratitude.