Shloka 17

Veṅkaṭeśa-Māhātmya: Varāha Prelude, Descent of Śeṣācala, Svāmipuṣkariṇī and the Network of Tīrthas

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

मायां मदीयां ज्ञानशस्त्रेण च्छित्वा भक्त्या हरेः स्मरणं त्वं कुरुष्व / यद्भक्तिरूपूर्वं स्मरणं नाम विष्णोस्तत्सर्वथा पापहरं च मातः

Transliteration

māyāṃ madīyāṃ jñānaśastreṇa cchitvā bhaktyā hareḥ smaraṇaṃ tvaṃ kuruṣva / yadbhaktirūpūrvaṃ smaraṇaṃ nāma viṣṇostatsarvathā pāpaharaṃ ca mātaḥ

Translation

Durchschneide Meine eigene Māyā mit der Waffe des Wissens und übe in Bhakti das Gedenken an Hari. Denn das Gedenken an den Namen Viṣṇus — von Bhakti vorausgegangen und geformt — ist in jeder Hinsicht sündenvernichtend, o Mutter.

Word by Word

• māyām: illusion
• māyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• madīyām: my
• madīyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• jñāna-śastreṇa: with the weapon of knowledge
• jñāna-śastreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna + śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (jñānasya śastram)

• chitvā: having cut
• chitvā: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• hareḥ: of Hari
• hareḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• smaraṇam: remembrance
• smaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक; pronoun)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kuruṣva: do / practice
• kuruṣva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक; relative pronoun)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bhakti-rūpa-pūrvam: preceded by devotion (as its form)
• bhakti-rūpa-pūrvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakti + rūpa + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (bhakti-rūpam pūrvam)

• smaraṇam: remembrance
• smaraṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• nāma: namely
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक/उपपद (particle: 'called/namely')

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक; demonstrative)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• sarvathā: in every way
• sarvathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• pāpa-haram: sin-destroying
• pāpa-haram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (pāpam harati iti)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• mātaḥ: O mother
• mātaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra in discourse; vocative 'mātaḥ' retained from the received verse-reading)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Māyā is cut by jñāna; bhakti-shaped remembrance of Hari/Vishnu-nāma destroys sin.

Vedantic Theme: Māyā-avidyā nivṛtti through jñāna aided by bhakti; nāma as upāya for citta-śuddhi leading toward liberation.

Application: Combine study/discernment (jñāna-śastra) with daily nāma-smaraṇa/japa; treat devotion as the ‘prior condition’ that makes remembrance transformative.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring praise of Vishnu-nāma as pāpa-hara and as support for the departed (general theme)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Hari

FAQs

What is the importance of nāma-smaraṇa (remembrance of Vishnu’s name) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that remembrance of Viṣṇu’s name—when rooted in bhakti—is “sarvathā pāpa-haram,” a complete remover of sins, making it a central, high-efficacy spiritual practice.

How does this verse explain overcoming māyā according to the Garuda Purana?

It presents māyā as something to be cut through by “jñāna-śastra” (the weapon of true knowledge), and then stabilized through devotional remembrance of Hari, implying both discernment and devotion are needed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily Hari/Viṣṇu nāma-smaraṇa (japa or mindful remembrance) alongside study and reflection that sharpen discernment, using both to reduce delusion, harmful habits, and ethical lapses.