Shloka 110

Multi-form Manifestations, Indra–Kāma Incarnations, Pravāha, and the Twofold Buddhi

Sense-Discipline and Exclusive Refuge in Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

सेवादिकं प्रवीहायैव स्वच्छं मायादेव्या भजनात्किं वदस्व / ज्येष्ठाष्टम्यां ज्येष्ठदेवीं ह्यलक्ष्मीं लक्ष्मीति बुद्ध्या पूजयित्वा च सम्यक्

Transliteration

sevādikaṃ pravīhāyaiva svacchaṃ māyādevyā bhajanātkiṃ vadasva / jyeṣṭhāṣṭamyāṃ jyeṣṭhadevīṃ hyalakṣmīṃ lakṣmīti buddhyā pūjayitvā ca samyak

Translation

Du hast Dienst und dergleichen aufgegeben und nennst dich „rein“—was lässt sich da vom Verehren der Göttin Māyā überhaupt sagen? Und beim Gelübde der Jyeṣṭhāṣṭamī, wenn du die Göttin Jyeṣṭhā—die in Wahrheit Alakṣmī (Unheil) ist—ordnungsgemäß verehrst, sie aber in deinem Denken für Lakṣmī (Glück) hältst: Was wird damit wirklich gewonnen?

Word by Word

• sevā-ādikam: service and the like
• sevā-ādikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sevā + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सेवा-आदिकम् = सेवा आदि)

• pravīhāya: having abandoned
• pravīhāya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√hā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: √हā (त्यागे) उपसर्ग: प्र-; अर्थः—त्यक्त्वा

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• svaccham: pure/clean
• svaccham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svaccha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्मपदस्य)

• māyādevyāḥ: of the goddess Māyā
• māyādevyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyādevī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (माया-देवी)

• bhajanāt: from worshipping
• bhajanāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhajana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणार्थे

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• vadasva: say/tell
• vadasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; धातु: √वद (भाषणे)

• jyeṣṭhā-aṣṭamyām: on the eighth (tithi) of Jyeṣṭhā
• jyeṣṭhā-aṣṭamyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyeṣṭhā + aṣṭamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ज्येष्ठायाः अष्टमी)

• jyeṣṭhadevīm: the goddess Jyeṣṭhā
• jyeṣṭhadevīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyeṣṭhadevī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (ज्येष्ठा देवी)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• alakṣmīm: Alakṣmī (misfortune)
• alakṣmīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: alakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• lakṣmī: Lakṣmī
• lakṣmī: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इति-शब्देन सह उक्तिवाचक

• iti: as/“thus”
• iti: Sambandha (उक्तिसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्तिवाचक निपात (quotative particle)

• buddhyā: with the notion/understanding
• buddhyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; साधन/उपायार्थे

• pūjayitvā: having worshipped
• pūjayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: √पूज (पूजायाम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hypocrisy of claiming purity while worshipping Māyā; delusion in venerating Alakṣmī as Lakṣmī—ritual without right understanding yields no true gain.

Vedantic Theme: Māyā-moha and viparyaya (error): mistaking the inauspicious for auspicious; need for viveka to align worship with truth.

Application: Examine motives and scriptural grounding of rituals; avoid superstition and self-deception; cultivate discernment before adopting vows/observances.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: hasya

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: ritual_calendar_time

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.28.106 (suvuddhi/right understanding); Garuda Purana 3.28.108 (śruti-anukta worship criticized)

Characters & Entities

• Maya Devi
• Jyeshtha Devi
• Alakshmi
• Lakshmi

FAQs

What is the importance of discerning auspicious vs. inauspicious worship in the Garuda Purana?

This verse warns that worship performed under delusion—treating Alakṣmī (misfortune) as Lakṣmī (fortune)—does not yield true auspicious results, emphasizing discernment (buddhi) and right orientation in devotion.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader dharma narrative?

In the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue, such verses function as ethical-ritual guidance: outer acts (dates, deities, procedures) must align with dharma and clarity, otherwise worship becomes misguided and spiritually unproductive.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose worship and observances with clear intention and correct understanding; avoid practices rooted in confusion, superstition, or mere social display, and prioritize dharmic duties alongside devotion.