Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

विना दयां तीर्थयात्रा खगेन्द्रव्यर्थेत्येवं वीन्द्र चाहुर्महान्तः / दिवा रात्रौ ये न शृण्वन्ति दिव्यां हरेः कथां तीर्थमार्गे खगेन्द्र

Transliteration

vinā dayāṃ tīrthayātrā khagendravyarthetyevaṃ vīndra cāhurmahāntaḥ / divā rātrau ye na śṛṇvanti divyāṃ hareḥ kathāṃ tīrthamārge khagendra

Translation

O Garuḍa, die Großen erklären: Eine tīrtha-Pilgerfahrt ohne Mitgefühl ist vergeblich. Und wer auf dem Pilgerweg, bei Tag und bei Nacht, die göttlichen Erzählungen von Hari nicht hört—o Herr der Vögel—dessen Reise trägt ebenfalls nur wenig Frucht.

Word by Word

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय (preposition)

• दयाम्: compassion
• दयाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘विना’ उपपद-योगे

• तीर्थयात्रा: pilgrimage
• तीर्थयात्रा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तीर्थस्य यात्रा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• खगेन्द्र: O lord of birds (Garuda)
• खगेन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• व्यर्था: futile
• व्यर्था: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying तीर्थयात्रा)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• वीन्द्र: O lord of heroes (mighty one)
• वीन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

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

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• महान्तः: the great (sages)
• महान्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिव्/दिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग; ‘by day’

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग; ‘at night’

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: do not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• शृण्वन्ति: hear/listen
• शृण्वन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• दिव्याम्: divine
• दिव्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying कथाम्)

• हरेः: of Hari (Vishnu)
• हरेः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• कथाम्: story/discourse
• कथाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तीर्थमार्गे: on the pilgrimage path
• तीर्थमार्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तीर्थस्य मार्गः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• खगेन्द्र: O Garuda
• खगेन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dayā (compassion) and continuous Hari-kathā-śravaṇa are essential; without them, external pilgrimage is ‘vyartha’.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi through dayā and śravaṇa; critique of mere externalism (bahirācāra) without inner transformation.

Application: While traveling to sacred places, practice kindness to beings and prioritize listening/reciting divine narratives; treat the journey as character training.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-marga (pilgrimage road)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated ‘vyartha’ critique of ritual without right conduct; emphasis on Hari-kathā as purifier

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Garuḍa

FAQs

What is the importance of compassion (dayā) in Garuda Purana pilgrimage teachings?

This verse states that without dayā, even a formal tīrtha-yātrā becomes vyarthā (fruitless); inner virtue is presented as the true measure of spiritual merit.

How does this verse explain what makes a pilgrimage spiritually effective?

It links pilgrimage to bhakti-practice: hearing divine Hari-kathā day and night on the pilgrimage route, along with compassion, is portrayed as what gives the journey real spiritual value.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Travel to sacred sites with active kindness (non-harm, charity, respectful conduct) and keep devotional listening/recitation (Hari-kathā, stotra, purāṇa-śravaṇa) as a daily discipline rather than treating pilgrimage as mere tourism.