Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

अवाप साम्राज्यमनुत्तमं च ज्ञानं नृसिंहात्समवाप पश्चात् / पराशरः श्रीनिबासस्य भक्तो भक्तिं कृत्वा व्यासरूपं हरिं च

Transliteration

avāpa sāmrājyamanuttamaṃ ca jñānaṃ nṛsiṃhātsamavāpa paścāt / parāśaraḥ śrīnibāsasya bhakto bhaktiṃ kṛtvā vyāsarūpaṃ hariṃ ca

Translation

Er erlangte eine unvergleichliche Herrschaft, und danach empfing er auch geistige Erkenntnis von Narasiṃha. Parāśara—ein Verehrer Śrīnivāsas—übte Bhakti und verehrte ebenso Hari, der die Gestalt Vyāsas angenommen hatte.

Word by Word

• अवाप: obtained
• अवाप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• साम्राज्यम्: sovereignty/empire
• साम्राज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘साम्राज्यम्’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक conjunction

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नृसिंहात्: from Narasiṃha
• नृसिंहात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृसिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समास: नृ + सिंह (कर्मधारय)

• समवाप: obtained fully
• समवाप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kāla-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय/adverb of time

• पराशरः: Parāśara
• पराशरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराशर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रीनिबासस्य: of Śrīnivāsa
• श्रीनिबासस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीनिबास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; समास: श्री + निवास (तत्पुरुष)

• भक्तः: devotee
• भक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• व्यासरूपम्: the form of Vyāsa
• व्यासरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: व्यासस्य रूपम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• हरिम्: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक conjunction

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhakti to Śrīnिवāsa/Hari matures into jñāna; even sovereignty is secondary to God-given realization.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti as a purifier leading to jñāna and niḥśreyasa; īśvara-anugraha as the cause of true knowledge.

Application: Treat success as stewardship; prioritize sādhana (nāma-japa, śāstra-śravaṇa) and seek jñāna under a guru, seeing Hari as the inner teacher.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24 (bhakti-to-moksha exempla sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Narasiṃha
• Parāśara
• Śrīnिवāsa (Vishnu)
• Vyāsa-rūpa Hari

FAQs

What is the importance of bhakti in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse presents bhakti as the decisive practice that leads not only to worldly attainment (sāmrājya) but also to higher wisdom (jñāna), showing devotion as a complete spiritual path.

How does this verse explain the relationship between Narasiṃha and spiritual knowledge?

It explicitly states that jñāna is obtained “from Narasiṃha,” portraying Narasiṃha not only as a protector but also as a giver of liberating knowledge.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady devotion (bhakti) alongside study and reflection (jñāna), and treat sacred teachings as coming through authorized lineages (e.g., Vyāsa-rūpa), integrating reverence with disciplined learning.