Shloka 61

Gradations of Bliss and Knowledge; Lakṣmī’s Special Insight; The Rarity of Bhakti in Kali-yuga; Nīlā’s Vow and Śrīnivāsa Darśana

Devanagari script

वरं वरय भद्रं ते वरदोहमिहागतः / हरिणोदीरितं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा प्राह स्मितानना

Transliteration

varaṃ varaya bhadraṃ te varadohamihāgataḥ / hariṇodīritaṃ vākyaṃ śrutvā prāha smitānanā

Translation

„Wähle eine Gabe—sie möge dir heilvoll sein. Ich bin hierher gekommen als Gewährer von Segnungen.“ Als sie die von Hari (Viṣṇu) gesprochenen Worte hörte, erwiderte sie mit lächelndem Antlitz.

Word by Word

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (usage), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• वरय: choose/ask for
• वरय: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative not intended here (simple ‘choose’)

• भद्रम्: good fortune/auspiciousness
• भद्रम्: उक्ति (Benediction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; आशीर्वादार्थक-प्रयोग (benedictive ‘good (be)’)

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: सम्प्रदान (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वरदः: the boon-giver
• वरदः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: समनाधिकरण/कर्ता (Apposition to वरदः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इह: here
• इह: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• आगतः: have come
• आगतः: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि (having come)

• हरिणा: by Hari
• हरिणा: कर्ता/करण (Agent/Instrument in passive sense with उदीरितम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• उदीरितम्: spoken/uttered
• उदीरितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of वाक्यम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर्/ईरय् (धातु) + उद् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि (uttered/spoken)

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: कर्म (Object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• प्राह: said/spoke
• प्राह: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्म: indeed/then (narrative particle)
• स्म: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपात (particle indicating narration/emphasis)

• स्मित-आनना: she whose face was smiling
• स्मित-आनना: कर्ता (Subject; ‘she’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मित (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (स्मितम् आननम् यस्याः)

Speaker

Narrator (describing Hari/Vishnu speaking, then a smiling-faced lady replying)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord personally invites the devotee to articulate her desire; divine grace is responsive and dialogical.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as varada: the personal aspect of Brahman engages the jīva through compassion and blessing, guiding desire toward auspicious ends.

Application: In prayer, state intentions clearly and ethically; receive opportunities as ‘varadāna’ moments and respond with sincerity and gratitude.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: varadāna episodes where the Lord tests/fulfills the devotee’s wish

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of requesting a boon (vara) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a classic Purāṇic moment where Hari appears as varada (boon-giver), emphasizing that divine grace is granted through a purposeful, spoken request aligned with auspiciousness (bhadra).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or afterlife teaching?

Indirectly, it sets a narrative tone of divine instruction and grace: in the Garuda Purana, such dialogues often precede guidance on dharma, karma, and post-death outcomes, showing that right understanding can arise from divine speech.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Make your intentions explicit and auspicious: ask (varaya) for goals rooted in dharma—clarity, self-control, compassion—rather than harmful desires, reflecting the verse’s emphasis on благословение through right petition.