Shloka 80

Supremacy of Hari-Bhakti in Kali-yuga; Warnings on Sensual Attachment; Praise of Brāhmaṇas, Purāṇa-Listening, and Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

न लभ्यते कर्मणापि वाजपेयशतादिना । राजसूयायुतेनापि यथा भक्त्या स लभ्यते

Transliteration

na labhyate karmaṇāpi vājapeyaśatādinā | rājasūyāyutenāpi yathā bhaktyā sa labhyate

Translation

Er wird nicht einmal durch rituelles Handeln erlangt: weder durch hundert Vājapeya-Opfer noch selbst durch zehntausend Rājasūya-Riten—so wie Er durch Bhakti, die Hingabe, erlangt wird.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• labhyate: is obtained
• labhyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु) + ya (यक्-प्रत्यय, कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Passive/impersonal sense (कर्मणि/भावे), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• karmaṇā: by action/ritual work
• karmaṇā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (समुच्चय/अपि = even/also)

• vājapeya-śata-ādinā: by (rites) such as a hundred Vājapeya sacrifices
• vājapeya-śata-ādinā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vājapeya (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound meaning 'by (sacrifices) beginning with a hundred Vājapeyas' (वाजपेयशतानि आदिः यस्य/येषां तैः)

• rājasūya-āyutena: even by ten thousand Rājasūya sacrifices
• rājasūya-āyutena: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājasūya (प्रातिपदिक) + āyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'by ten-thousand Rājasūya (sacrifices)' (राजसूयानाम् आयुतम्)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अपि = even/also)

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative adverb (यथाऽव्यय = as/just as)

• bhaktyā: by devotion
• bhaktyā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• saḥ: he/that (Lord/goal)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun

• labhyate: is obtained
• labhyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (धातु) + ya (यक्-प्रत्यय, कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Passive/impersonal (कर्मणि/भावे), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

Speaker

Not specified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: karmaṇāpi = karmaṇā + api; rājasūyāyutenāpi = rājasūya-āyutena + api; sa labhyate = saḥ + labhyate.

Characters & Entities

• Vājapeya
• Rājasūya

FAQs

What is the main teaching of this Padma Purana verse?

It teaches that devotion (bhakti) is a more direct and effective means of attaining the Lord than even the most prestigious Vedic sacrifices and ritual works.

Why are Vājapeya and Rājasūya mentioned here?

They represent extremely exalted royal sacrifices; the verse uses them as benchmarks to show that even extraordinary ritual merit does not equal the power of sincere devotion.

What ethical or spiritual lesson does this verse convey for daily practice?

It encourages prioritizing heartfelt devotion and inner sincerity over pride in external religious performance, status, or accumulation of ritual merit.