Shloka 125

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

Devanagari script

समागमो दुर्घट एव वीन्द्र सतां च सत्तत्त्वविबोधकानाम् / अनेकजन्मार्जितपुण्यसंचयादभूद्गुरोः संगम एव तस्य

Transliteration

samāgamo durghaṭa eva vīndra satāṃ ca sattattvavibodhakānām / anekajanmārjitapuṇyasaṃcayādabhūdguroḥ saṃgama eva tasya

Translation

Ô le meilleur des oiseaux (Garuda), la rencontre des saints qui éveillent l’intelligence de la vraie réalité est, en vérité, des plus rares. Ce n’est que par un trésor de mérites amassés au fil de nombreuses naissances qu’on obtient la bienheureuse proximité d’un guru véritable.

Word by Word

• समागमः: meeting/association
• समागमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समागम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दुर्घटः: hard to obtain
• दुर्घटः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्घट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘समागमः’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (indeed)

• वीन्द्र: O Vīndra (O excellent one)
• वीन्द्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; ‘O best of birds/hero’ (contextual epithet)

• सताम्: of the good/saints
• सताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• सत्-तत्त्व-विबोधकानाम्: of the enlighteners of true reality
• सत्-तत्त्व-विबोधकानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विबोधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘of those who awaken/teach the true reality of the good’

• अनेक-जन्म-अर्जित-पुण्य-संचयात्: because of accumulated merit earned over many births
• अनेक-जन्म-अर्जित-पुण्य-संचयात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (ablative of cause): ‘from/because of accumulation of merit earned over many births’

• अभूत्: happened/occurred
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (aorist), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• गुरोः: of the guru
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• संगमः: meeting/association
• संगमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/alone
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (alone/indeed)

• तस्य: of him/for him
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Satsaṅga with reality-awakening saints and meeting a true guru is rare and arises from accumulated puṇya across births.

Vedantic Theme: Guru-kṛpā and puṇya as enabling conditions for jñāna/bhakti; saṃskāra maturation over many lives.

Application: Prioritize time with wise, ethical teachers; cultivate merit through service, truthfulness, and devotion; treat guidance as a precious opportunity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: satsaṅga/guru-assembly (conceptual)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana teachings on guru, satsaṅga, and merit (general within the Purana)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Guru
• Sat-purusha (saints)

FAQs

What is the importance of satsanga (association with saints) in Garuda Purana?

This verse says satsanga with truth-awakening saints is rare and becomes possible through accumulated merit, implying it is a key doorway to spiritual understanding.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames spiritual progress as merit-driven across lifetimes: punya ripens into contact with saints and a guru, which then awakens knowledge of reality—an essential step toward liberation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize ethical living that builds punya, seek disciplined company of sincere teachers and practitioners, and evaluate guidance by whether it increases clarity about truth and dharma.