Shloka 81

Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya: Bhakti-Lakṣaṇa, Nārasiṁha-tīrtha, and the Secret Darśana-Vidhi of Śrīnivāsa

Devanagari script

पश्चाद्धरेर्नमनं कार्यमेव साष्टाङ्गरूपं प्रविशेद्देवगेहम् / पुनर्विशेद्वारतः संस्थितः स पीठस्थदेवान्मानसा चिन्तयीत

Transliteration

paścāddharernamanaṃ kāryameva sāṣṭāṅgarūpaṃ praviśeddevageham / punarviśedvārataḥ saṃsthitaḥ sa pīṭhasthadevānmānasā cintayīta

Translation

তাৰ পাছত হৰিক নিশ্চয় নমস্কাৰ কৰিব লাগে; তাৰপিছত সাষ্টাঙ্গ প্ৰণাম কৰি দেৱগৃহত প্ৰৱেশ কৰিব লাগে। পুনৰ দুৱাৰত থিয় হৈ ভিতৰলৈ প্ৰৱেশ কৰি, পীঠস্থ দেৱতাসকলক মনতে ধ্যান কৰিব লাগে।

Word by Word

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• hareḥ: of Hari
• hareḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• namanaṃ: bowing/salutation
• namanaṃ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kāryam: to be done
• kāryam: Prayojya/vidheya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; predicate adjective (विधेयविशेषण)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निपात)

• sa-aṣṭāṅga-rūpam: in the eight-limbed form (prostration)
• sa-aṣṭāṅga-rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + aṣṭāṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; compound: aṣṭāṅga-rūpa = 'form consisting of eight limbs' (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समास) with prefix sa- 'with'

• praviśet: should enter
• praviśet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√viś (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada

• deva-geham: the deity’s house/temple
• deva-geham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + geha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'house/temple of the deity' (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• punar: again
• punar: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• viśet: should enter
• viśet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √viś (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

• dvārataḥ: from/through the door
• dvārataḥ: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; adverbial ablative (अपादानार्थे)

• saṃsthitaḥ: standing/positioned
• saṃsthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; used predicatively

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• pīṭha-sthān: seated on the pedestal
• pīṭha-sthān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; tatpuruṣa: 'situated on the seat' (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष) qualifying devān

• devān: the gods/deities
• devān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• mānasā: mentally
• mānasā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental singular used adverbially (करणे तृतीया) as avyayībhāva-sense: 'mentally'

• cintayīta: should contemplate
• cintayīta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular; Ātmanepada

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aṣṭāṅga-praṇāma and mānasa-pūjā (mental contemplation) as integral to approaching Hari.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin-bhāva: the deity is approached through inner contemplation; external ritual supports internal absorption.

Application: Before engaging any sacred practice, physically humble the body (bow) and then settle the mind into a brief visualization/contemplation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: doorway and inner sanctum threshold; pedestal/altar-seat (pīṭha)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.77-80 (preceding purification, remembrance, pradakṣiṇā, nāma-japa)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of aṣṭāṅga namaskāra in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents aṣṭāṅga prostration as a required act of humility and reverence before entering the deity’s sanctified space, aligning the body and mind for worship.

How does this verse describe proper temple entry and inner focus?

It instructs bowing to Hari, entering the shrine with full prostration, and then pausing at the doorway to mentally contemplate the pedestal-seated deities—emphasizing mindful, not merely physical, worship.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Enter places of worship with reverence, avoid haste, and cultivate mental remembrance of the deity (manasika smaraṇa) along with respectful bodily conduct.