Shloka 9

Bhakti-māhātmya: The Marks of the Vaiṣṇava and the Liberating Power of Exclusive Devotion

Devanagari script

भक्तिरष्टविधा ह्येषा यस्मिन्म्लेच्छो ऽपि वर्तते / स विप्रेन्द्रो मुनिः श्रीमान्स याति परमां गतिम्

Transliteration

bhaktiraṣṭavidhā hyeṣā yasminmleccho 'pi vartate / sa viprendro muniḥ śrīmānsa yāti paramāṃ gatim

Translation

Cette dévotion est véritablement octuple ; même si elle se trouve chez un mleccha (hors de la culture védique), cet être devient le premier parmi les brahmanes, un muni vénérable, comblé de grâce, et atteint la destinée suprême.

Word by Word

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अष्टविधा: eightfold
• अष्टविधा: Visheshana (Adjective of bhaktiḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—‘अष्ट प्रकारा’ (eightfold)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• एषा: this
• एषा: Pratijna/Predicate demonstrative
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम

• यस्मिन्: in whom
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (in whom/wherein)

• म्लेच्छः: a mleccha (foreigner/outcaste)
• म्लेच्छः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (even/also)

• वर्तते: exists; is found
• वर्तते: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• विप्रेन्द्रः: chief among Brahmins
• विप्रेन्द्रः: Pratijna/Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः’ (chief of Brahmins)

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Pratijna/Predicate nominative
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• श्रीमान्: fortunate; illustrious
• श्रीमान्: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessing prosperity)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• याति: goes; attains
• याति: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; ‘गति’ विशेषण

• गतिम्: state; destination
• गतिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Eightfold devotion ennobles anyone—even a mleccha—granting saintliness and the supreme destination.

Vedantic Theme: Adhikāra by inner qualification (bhakti) rather than jāti; grace and devotion as direct means to paramā gati.

Application: Do not gatekeep devotion by birth or background; cultivate the limbs of bhakti consistently; honor sincere practitioners across cultures.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.227: sequence on bhakti-lakṣaṇa and devotee supremacy (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Mleccha
• Vipra
• Muni

FAQs

What is the importance of eightfold bhakti in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that eightfold devotion is so spiritually potent that its presence alone qualifies a person for the highest attainment, regardless of social or birth-based labels.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It presents bhakti as a direct means to the “paramā gati” (supreme destination), implying inner devotion is a decisive factor for the soul’s highest end.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady devotional practice and character; the verse emphasizes sincere devotion over external identity, encouraging inclusive spiritual discipline.