Shloka 14

Śrīnivāsa at Svāmipuṣkariṇī: Darśana, Stotra, the Secret Veṅkaṭeśa Mantra, and the Meaning of “Vyaṅkaṭeśa”

Devanagari script

तेषां सकाशादतिबाहुल्यसंख्या गुणा हरौ ते ऽविदिता वै रमायाः / अतो हरे स्तवने क्वास्ति शक्तिस्तथापि यत्नं स्तवने ते करिष्ये

Transliteration

teṣāṃ sakāśādatibāhulyasaṃkhyā guṇā harau te 'viditā vai ramāyāḥ / ato hare stavane kvāsti śaktistathāpi yatnaṃ stavane te kariṣye

Translation

Gegenüber jenen sind deine Tugenden, o Hari, unzählbar, und selbst Ramā (Lakṣmī) kennt sie nicht vollständig. Darum, o Hari, wo wäre die Kraft, dich zu preisen? Und dennoch will ich mich bemühen, dir einen Hymnus darzubringen.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, बहुवचन, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive)

• सकाशात्: from/than (in comparison)
• सकाशात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग (postposition-like indeclinable), पञ्चमी-अर्थ (ablative sense): ‘from/than’

• अतिबाहुल्यसंख्याः: of exceedingly great number
• अतिबाहुल्यसंख्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + बाहुल्य + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; विशेषण (qualifying गुणाः); तत्पुरुष-समास (having exceedingly great number)

• गुणाः: qualities
• गुणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति

• हरौ: in Hari
• हरौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative)

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative)

• अविदिताः: unknown
• अविदिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + विदित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, बहुवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति; विशेषण (qualifying गुणाः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• रमायाः: of Ramā (Lakṣmī)
• रमायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (causal adverb): ‘therefore’

• हरे: O Hari
• हरे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• स्तवने: in praising (your praise)
• स्तवने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative)

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• शक्तिः: ability, power
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति

• तथापि: nevertheless
• तथापि: Sambandha/Discourse (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (concessive): ‘nevertheless’

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया-विभक्ति

• स्तवने: in praising
• स्तवने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative)

• ते: of you/your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचन, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive)

• करिष्ये: I shall do/make
• करिष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra) addressing Lord Vishnu (Hari)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Human speech is inadequate for the Lord’s infinite virtues, yet sincere effort in praise is itself meaningful devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Aparokṣa-tattva exceeds vāṅ-manas; sādhana as loving approximation rather than total capture by language.

Application: Offer prayers without perfectionism; keep a daily stotra practice, accepting limits while maintaining sincerity and consistency.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: stuti sections where the devotee confesses inability to describe Bhagavān fully (common purāṇic trope)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Rama (Lakshmi)
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of praising Hari in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames praise (stuti) as an act of bhakti grounded in humility—acknowledging God’s immeasurable qualities while still committing to sincere devotional effort.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

By emphasizing devotion to Hari as supreme, it supports the Purana’s broader teaching that remembrance and worship of Vishnu steadies the mind and supports righteous living, which shapes one’s post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach prayer and study with humility: even if full understanding is impossible, consistent sincere practice—chanting, ethical living, and remembrance of Hari—remains meaningful.