Shloka 29

Bhakti-māhātmya: The Marks of the Vaiṣṇava and the Liberating Power of Exclusive Devotion

Devanagari script

दैवी ह्येषा गुणमयी हरेर्माया दुरत्यया / तमेव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायामेतां तरन्ति ते

Transliteration

daivī hyeṣā guṇamayī harermāyā duratyayā / tameva ye prapadyante māyāmetāṃ taranti te

Translation

Wahrlich, diese göttliche Māyā Haris, aus den Guṇas gewoben, ist schwer zu überwinden; doch wer allein bei Ihm Zuflucht nimmt, der überschreitet diese Māyā.

Word by Word

• दैवी: divine
• दैवी: Karta (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘माया’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/reason/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतु निपात

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक (demonstrative)

• गुणमयी: made of the guṇas
• गुणमयी: Karta (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त: ‘गुणमयी’ = consisting of guṇas

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• माया: māyā; illusion
• माया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दुरत्यया: hard to cross
• दुरत्यया: Karta (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्- (उपसर्ग/उपपद) + अति+इ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: यत्-कृदन्त (passable/possible), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘दुरत्यया’ = difficult to cross/overcome

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एव: alone; indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• प्रपद्यन्ते: take refuge; surrender
• प्रपद्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+पद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मायाम्: māyā
• मायाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एताम्: this
• एताम्: Karman (Apposition to object/कर्म-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक

• तरन्ति: cross over
• तरन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari’s guṇa-mayī Māyā is hard to transcend; exclusive refuge (prapatti) in Him enables one to cross it.

Vedantic Theme: Māyā/guṇa-bandha and tarati (crossing) through surrender and grace; consonant with Vedāntic liberation as transcendence of prakṛti’s guṇas.

Application: Practice prapatti: daily surrender of agency and outcomes to Vishnu; cultivate guṇa-awareness (sattva/rajas/tamas) and choose sattvic supports (japa, sat-saṅga, restraint).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: teachings on bondage by guṇas and liberation through Vishnu refuge (various mokṣa/bhakti passages)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Lord Vishnu)
• Maya
• Guṇas (Sattva-Rajas-Tamas)

FAQs

What is the importance of Māyā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse defines Māyā as a divine, guṇa-based power of Hari that binds beings to worldly perception; understanding it points the seeker toward liberation through surrender.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It implies that the soul’s entanglement in guṇas and illusion is not easily escaped by effort alone; refuge in Viṣṇu is presented as the decisive means to transcend bondage and attain release.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate surrender through daily remembrance of Viṣṇu (nāma-japa), ethical living aligned with dharma, and reducing guṇa-driven impulses (greed, anger, delusion) to loosen Māyā’s hold.