Shloka 24

Dāna-vrata and the Tīrtha Circuit of Venkaṭādri

Snāna, Mantra, Naivedya

Devanagari script

स्नानं यः कुरुते ह्यत्र स याति परमां गतिम् / अत्र स्नानं मनुष्याणां सर्वेषां दुर्लभं कलौ

Transliteration

snānaṃ yaḥ kurute hyatra sa yāti paramāṃ gatim / atra snānaṃ manuṣyāṇāṃ sarveṣāṃ durlabhaṃ kalau

Translation

Wer hier das heilige Bad vollzieht, gelangt wahrlich zur höchsten Bestimmung. Doch im Kali-Zeitalter ist es für alle Menschen schwer, ein solches Bad an diesem Ort zu erlangen.

Word by Word

• स्नानम्: bath
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• कुरुते: does / performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Deshadhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण

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

• याति: goes / attains
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies ‘गतिम्’)

• गतिम्: state/goal
• गतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Deshadhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचन

• मनुष्याणाम्: of humans
• मनुष्याणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies ‘मनुष्याणाम्’)

• दुर्लभम्: rare / hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: Vidhaya-visheshana (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicate adjective to ‘स्नानम्’)

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण (locative of time)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-snānā as a potent purifier leading to ‘paramā gati’; Kali-yuga conditions make such opportunities rare.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana-sulabhatā vs. durlabhatā in Kali; grace mediated through sacred places and acts that purify the mind.

Application: When access to authentic sacred practice arises, prioritize it; cultivate inner tīrtha through purity, truthfulness, and remembrance when outer access is limited.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (snāna-sthāna)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.27.23 (origin: Vishnu manifestation); Garuda Purana 3.27.25 (expanded fruits: tapas-phala, drinking, giving)

Characters & Entities

• Kali Yuga
• Humans (Manushyas)

FAQs

What is the importance of sacred bathing (snāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that performing the sacred bath ‘here’ leads to the highest attainment (paramā gati), presenting snāna as a powerful purifier and merit-generating rite.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By linking a purificatory act (snāna) with ‘paramā gati,’ the verse implies that disciplined ritual purity supports an elevated post-death trajectory and spiritual end, especially emphasized in Preta Kanda teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain regular purity practices—bathing, prayer, and ethical restraint—and when possible undertake pilgrimage or sacred bathing with sincere intent, recognizing that such opportunities are considered rare in Kali-yuga.