Shloka 24

Means to Liberation: Supremacy of Hari, Proper Salutations, and Purāṇic Authority

Devanagari script

न पार्थिक्यान्नमनं कार्यमेव प्रीणन्ति नैता देवताः पूजनेन / पूजां गृहीत्वा देवताश्चैव सर्वाः किञ्चिद्दत्वा फलदानेन तांश्च

Transliteration

na pārthikyānnamanaṃ kāryameva prīṇanti naitā devatāḥ pūjanena / pūjāṃ gṛhītvā devatāścaiva sarvāḥ kiñciddatvā phaladānena tāṃśca

Translation

Estas deidades no se complacen de verdad por meras distinciones mundanas ni por la reverencia formal; tampoco quedan satisfechas sólo con el culto. Habiendo aceptado la ofrenda de la adoración, todas las deidades, a su vez, conceden algún resultado, otorgando frutos según lo ofrecido y lo realizado.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Negation (निषेध)

• pārthikyāt: from separateness/particularity
• pārthikyāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthikya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन)

• namanam: bowing/salutation
• namanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāryam: to be done/required
• kāryam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Particle (निपात) emphasis

• prīṇanti: please/satisfy
• prīṇanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prī (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Negation (निषेध)

• etāḥ: these
• etāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• devatāḥ: deities
• devatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pūjanena: by worship
• pūjanena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• pūjām: worship (offering)
• pūjām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• gṛhītvā: having accepted
• gṛhītvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), having taken/accepted

• devatāḥ: the deities
• devatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Particle (निपात) emphasis

• sarvāḥ: all
• sarvāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kiñcit: something/a little
• kiñcit: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kiñcit (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Indefinite particle/pronominal adverb

• datvā: having given
• datvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), having given

• phala-dānena: by bestowing results
• phala-dānena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); ‘by giving fruit/result’

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), Conjunction (समुच्चय)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Deities respond by granting results proportionate to offerings and acts; mere formalities or social/worldly distinctions do not constitute true satisfaction.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyati (law-governed results) contrasted with higher devotion beyond transaction.

Application: Prioritize sincerity and right intention over mere external bowing/status; understand worship as ethically consequential action with proportionate outcomes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Pretakalpa/Upāsanā sections): recurring contrast between kāmya worship and Viṣṇu-bhakti; Garuda Purana: discussions on devatā-upāsanā yielding limited phala

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of karma-phala (fruits of actions) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse frames worship as causally connected to results: deities accept worship and reciprocate by granting specific fruits, emphasizing action-and-result over mere formality.

Does this verse say that worship (pūjā) is useless?

No. It says deities are not pleased by mere externalities (status or formal bowing) or worship performed only as empty form; true worship is meaningful when aligned with proper intent and duty, leading to appropriate results.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform rituals with sincerity and ethical conduct, focusing on right intention and right action rather than social show; expect outcomes to follow the principle of karma-phala rather than mere display.