Shloka 51

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

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

तेषां पुण्यं नैव जानन्ति देवा जानात्येवं श्रीनिवासो हरिस्तु / शालग्रामं वायुतीर्थे ददन्ते तेषां पुण्यं वेत्ति स व्यङ्कटेशः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ puṇyaṃ naiva jānanti devā jānātyevaṃ śrīnivāso haristu / śālagrāmaṃ vāyutīrthe dadante teṣāṃ puṇyaṃ vetti sa vyaṅkaṭeśaḥ

Translation

Selbst die Götter kennen das volle Verdienst jener Verehrer nicht wahrhaft; nur Hari—Śrīnivāsa—kennt es so. Wer am Vāyu-tīrtha einen Śālagrāma darbringt, dessen Verdienst erkennt der Herr Vyaṅkaṭeśa in ganzer Fülle.

Word by Word

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

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (restrictive/emphatic particle)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• जानाति: knows
• जानाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• श्री-निवासः: Śrīnivāsa
• श्री-निवासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + निवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘abode of Śrī’)

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• शालग्रामम्: Śālagrāma (sacred stone)
• शालग्रामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वायु-तीर्थे: at Vāyutīrtha
• वायु-तीर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘at the Vāyu-tīrtha’)

• ददन्ते: give
• ददन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

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

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वेत्ति: knows
• वेत्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• व्यङ्कटेशः: Vyaṅkaṭeśa (Venkateśa)
• व्यङ्कटेशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यङ्कटेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Śrīnivāsa) speaking to Garuda (Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The true measure of devotional merit is known fully only to Hari; offering Śālagrāma at a sacred tīrtha is a profound act of devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as sarvajña (all-knowing) and karmaphala-dātā; bhakti as a direct means of grace beyond worldly appraisal.

Application: Perform offerings with humility and without seeking social validation; cultivate trust that the Lord knows and receives sincere devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha (pilgrimage ford/shrine)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.26.52-55 (rarity and merit of Vāyu-tīrtha bath, Bhāgavata-śravaṇa, Śālagrāma-dāna, mūrti-dāna)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Hari (Vishnu)
• Śrīnivāsa
• Śālagrāma
• Vāyu-tīrtha
• Vyaṅkaṭeśa (Veṅkaṭeśa)

FAQs

What is the importance of Śālagrāma-dāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the spiritual merit of offering a Śālagrāma is so profound that even the devas cannot measure it; only Lord Hari (Śrīnivāsa/Veṅkaṭeśa) fully knows its fruit.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings on dharma and merit (puṇya)?

It emphasizes that the results of righteous acts—especially sacred gifting tied to Viṣṇu and tīrthas—can be subtle and beyond ordinary cosmic accounting, known completely only to the Supreme Lord.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity and worship with humility—especially Viṣṇu-centered devotion and tīrtha-related offerings—without seeking validation, trusting that the true spiritual fruit is known and preserved by the Divine.