Shloka 80

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

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

एता दृशं गण्डिकायाः शिलाया मूर्तेर्दानं दुर्घटं विद्धि वीन्द्र / तत्र स्नात्वा श्रीनृसिंहस्वरूपं लक्ष्मीपतेः शृणुयाद्भक्तियुक्तः

Transliteration

etā dṛśaṃ gaṇḍikāyāḥ śilāyā mūrterdānaṃ durghaṭaṃ viddhi vīndra / tatra snātvā śrīnṛsiṃhasvarūpaṃ lakṣmīpateḥ śṛṇuyādbhaktiyuktaḥ

Translation

O best of kings, know that the gifting of an idol-form (mūrti) carved from such a Gaṇḍikā stone is difficult to accomplish. Having bathed there, one endowed with devotion should listen to the glory and account of the auspicious Śrī Nṛsiṃha form of Lakṣmī’s Lord (Viṣṇu).

Word by Word

• एताः: these
• एताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Plural; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• दृशम्: appearance/form
• दृशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश्/दृश् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘appearance/form’)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• गण्डिकायाः: of the Gaṇḍikā (stone)
• गण्डिकायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• शिलायाः: of the stone
• शिलायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• मूर्तेः: of the image/form
• मूर्तेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• दानम्: gift/donation
• दानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• दुर्घटम्: difficult (to accomplish)
• दुर्घटम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्घट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; qualifying दानम्

• विद्धि: know (you)
• विद्धि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd Person, Singular

• वीन्द्र: O best of heroes
• वीन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th), Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/देशवाचक-अव्यय

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• श्री-नृसिंह-स्वरूपम्: the form of Śrī-Nṛsiṃha
• श्री-नृसिंह-स्वरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + नृसिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; तत्पुरुष (श्रीनृसिंहस्य स्वरूपम्)

• लक्ष्मी-पतेः: of Lakṣmī’s lord (Viṣṇu)
• लक्ष्मी-पतेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular; तत्पुरुष (लक्ष्म्याः पतिः)

• शृणुयात्: should listen
• शृणुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• भक्ति-युक्तः: endowed with devotion
• भक्ति-युक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त, युज् धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; past participle ‘endowed’; तत्पुरुष (भक्त्या युक्तः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra, addressing a kingly epithet within the discourse)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mūrti-dāna is a high, demanding act; yet devotion expressed through snāna and śravaṇa remains a potent, recommended sādhana.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga in the form of dāna and tīrtha-sevā, harmonized with bhakti (śravaṇa) as inner orientation.

Application: If unable to perform costly religious gifting, prioritize sincere tīrtha-sevā and regular śravaṇa of Nṛsiṃha/Viṣṇu-kathā; support temple/icon maintenance within means.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha/shrine with sacred stone source (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.26.77 (snāna and kathā-śravaṇa); Garuda Purana 3.26.81 (certainty of fruit from mūrti-dāna)

Characters & Entities

• Narasimha
• Lakshmipati (Vishnu)
• Gaṇḍikā-śilā (sacred stone)

FAQs

What is the importance of donating a murti made from Gaṇḍikā stone in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states such a donation is “durghaṭa” (hard to accomplish/rare), implying it is a high-value act of dāna that requires special means and intention, and is therefore treated as spiritually weighty.

How does this verse explain the path of spiritual upliftment?

It links three classic means of merit and purification—tīrtha-snāna (sacred bathing), bhakti (devotion), and śravaṇa (listening to the Lord’s glory)—centered on Narasiṃha, a protective form of Viṣṇu.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize sincere devotion and scriptural listening (śravaṇa) alongside ethical charity (dāna); if pilgrimage or rare donations are not feasible, the verse still emphasizes bhakti-yukta hearing and reverence to Narasiṃha as accessible practice.