Shloka 101

Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya: Bhakti-Lakṣaṇa, Nārasiṁha-tīrtha, and the Secret Darśana-Vidhi of Śrīnivāsa

Devanagari script

स्त्रीरूपाणां नमनं कार्यमेव सुयोगपीठस्य स्वरूप भूतम् / सदा नमेच्छ्रीमदनन्तसंज्ञमेवं न मेच्छ्रीनिवासं च देवम्

Transliteration

strīrūpāṇāṃ namanaṃ kāryameva suyogapīṭhasya svarūpa bhūtam / sadā namecchrīmadanantasaṃjñamevaṃ na mecchrīnivāsaṃ ca devam

Translation

One should indeed offer reverent salutations to the feminine forms, for they are the very embodiment of the sacred seat of right yoga. Yet one should ever bow to the Lord known as Śrī Ananta, and likewise to the divine Śrīnivāsa.

Word by Word

• स्त्री-रूपाणाम्: of the female forms
• स्त्री-रूपाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; स्त्रीणां रूपाणाम् (genitive plural)

• नमनम्: bowing, salutation
• नमनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमन (प्रातिपदिक; √नम् धातु-जन्य भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कार्यम्: to be done, obligatory
• कार्यम्: Vidhāna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ धातु-जन्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic)

• सु-योग-पीठस्य: of the auspicious yoga-seat (sacred pedestal)
• सु-योग-पीठस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + योग (प्रातिपदिक) + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सुयोगस्य पीठम् इति (genitive relation)

• स्वरूपम्: the very nature/form
• स्वरूपम्: Vidhāna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• भूतम्: having become, being
• भूतम्: Vidhāna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक; √भू धातु-जन्य भूतकृत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूत = 'become/being' (predicative)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla (काल/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• नमेत्: should bow
• नमेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रीमत्-अनन्त-संज्ञम्: the revered one named Ananta
• श्रीमत्-अनन्त-संज्ञम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक) + अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'श्रीमान्' इति विशेषणपूर्वकः, 'अनन्त' इति नाम, 'संज्ञ' = 'named' (accusative singular)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakāra (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

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

• मे: my / for me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी) वा चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; 'मे' = my/for me (context-dependent)

• श्री-निवासम्: Śrīnivāsa
• श्री-निवासम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + निवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'श्रियाः निवासः' (accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देवम्: the god, deity
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन (apposition) to श्रीनिवासम्

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śakti as the enabling ground of yogic realization, yet liberation-oriented devotion culminates in surrender to the eternal Lord (Ananta) and the indwelling refuge (Śrīnivāsa).

Vedantic Theme: Ādhāra-ādheya: the seat/support (śakti/pīṭha) and the supported Lord; īśvara as nitya (Ananta) and antaryāmin (Śrīnivāsa).

Application: In daily practice, honor the supportive conditions (discipline, śakti, community, body-as-seat) but anchor the mind in remembrance and surrender to Ananta/Śrīnivāsa, especially at the start/end of meditation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Geographic Context

Type: sacred seat/pīṭha within the mandala

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.97-100 (lotus āvaraṇa leading to the center)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Ananta
• Shrinivasa
• Shakti (feminine forms)

FAQs

What is the importance of bowing to feminine forms in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents feminine forms as the embodiment of the auspicious yogic foundation (suyogapīṭha), making reverence to them a spiritually valid act aligned with right practice.

Why does the verse specifically mention Ananta and Shrinivasa?

It emphasizes steady devotion to Viṣṇu through revered epithets—Ananta (the Infinite) and Śrīnivāsa (the abode of Śrī/Lakṣmī)—as enduring objects of refuge and worship.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain respectful reverence toward the divine feminine while anchoring daily devotion in remembrance and salutations to Viṣṇu (Ananta/Śrīnivāsa) through simple, consistent prayer.