Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

जप्त्वा ज्ञानं प्राप्य दुर्वासकश्चाप्यवाप मोक्षं तेन संवर्धितात्मा / मुचुकुन्दो वै श्रीनिवासस्य भक्तो वैराग्यतो भक्तिदार्ढ्यं च कृत्वा

Transliteration

japtvā jñānaṃ prāpya durvāsakaścāpyavāpa mokṣaṃ tena saṃvardhitātmā / mucukundo vai śrīnivāsasya bhakto vairāgyato bhaktidārḍhyaṃ ca kṛtvā

Translation

Nachdem er Japa vollzogen und wahre Erkenntnis erlangt hatte, erreichte auch Durvāsā die Befreiung; durch diese Übung wurde sein Inneres gestärkt. Mucukunda, wahrlich ein Verehrer Śrīnivāsas, machte durch das Pflegen von Vairāgya (Loslösung) seine Bhakti fest und standhaft.

Word by Word

• जप्त्वा: having recited
• जप्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having muttered/recited’

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

• प्राप्य: having attained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त/gerund, ‘having obtained’

• दुर्वासकः: Durvāsā (Durvāsaka)
• दुर्वासकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (also/even)

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

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तेन: by that/thereby
• तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया, एकवचन

• संवर्धितात्मा: one whose self was strengthened
• संवर्धितात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्+वृध् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: संवर्धितः आत्मा यस्य

• मुचुकुन्दः: Mucukunda
• मुचुकुन्दः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुचुकुन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (indeed/emphatic)

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

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

• वैराग्यतः: from/through dispassion
• वैराग्यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैराग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ पञ्चमी (ablative of cause)

• भक्तिदार्ढ्यम्: firmness in devotion
• भक्तिदार्ढ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति + दार्ढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: भक्तेः दार्ढ्यम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Japa and disciplined practice can mature into jñāna; vairāgya stabilizes bhakti; strengthened inner being supports liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana-catuṣṭaya: vairāgya and śama-dama as supports; bhakti and jñāna as mutually reinforcing when ego thins.

Application: Commit to daily mantra-japa; cultivate dispassion by simplifying desires and observing impermanence; use practice to build inner resilience.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24 (exemplars: Durvāsā, Mucukunda)

Characters & Entities

• Durvasa
• Mucukunda
• Shrinivasa (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of japa and jnana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links japa (disciplined repetition) with the rise of jñāna (true knowledge), presenting them as a direct means that strengthens the inner self and culminates in mokṣa (liberation).

How does this verse explain the path to liberation (moksha)?

It presents two complementary routes: Durvāsā attains mokṣa through japa leading to knowledge, while Mucukunda attains spiritual firmness through devotion supported by vairāgya—showing liberation as grounded in inner transformation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a daily japa practice, study for clarity of understanding, and cultivate vairāgya (reduced attachment) so devotion and ethical conduct become steady rather than mood-dependent.