Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

तत्संगिनः सात्त्विकाः केचिदेव ह्यतो भक्ता दुर्लभा वै कलौ च / ये दृश्यन्ते भक्तवत्ते न भक्ताः शिश्रोदरयोर्भरणे चैव सक्ताः

Transliteration

tatsaṃginaḥ sāttvikāḥ kecideva hyato bhaktā durlabhā vai kalau ca / ye dṛśyante bhaktavatte na bhaktāḥ śiśrodarayorbharaṇe caiva saktāḥ

Translation

Parmi ceux qui tiennent une telle compagnie, quelques-uns seulement sont vraiment sāttvika; c’est pourquoi les dévots authentiques (bhakta) sont rares en l’âge de Kali. Ceux qui paraissent se conduire en dévots ne sont pas des dévots : ils ne sont attachés qu’à l’entretien des organes sexuels et du ventre, c’est-à-dire au désir et à l’appétit.

Word by Word

• tat-saṃginaḥ: his companions/associates
• tat-saṃginaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + saṃgin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; तत्पुरुष: tasya saṃginaḥ = his associates

• sāttvikāḥ: sattvic (pure)
• sāttvikāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) (appositional)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāttvika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; adjective used substantively

• kecit: some
• kecit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; indefinite pronoun

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Emphasis/Reason (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) giving reason/emphasis

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu/Result (हेतु/फल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय) meaning 'therefore/from that'

• bhaktāḥ: devotees
• bhaktāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural

• durlabhāḥ: rare/difficult to find
• durlabhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-labha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; कर्मधारय: dur (bad/difficult) + labha (obtainable)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• kalau: in Kali age
• kalau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; relative pronoun

• dṛśyante: are seen/appear
• dṛśyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Plural, Ātmanepada, Passive (कर्मणि)

• bhaktavat: as if devotees
• bhaktavat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: Adjective, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular used adverbially; तद्धितान्त -वत् = 'like a devotee'

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; demonstrative pronoun

• na: not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• bhaktāḥ: devotees
• bhaktāḥ: Predicate nominal (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural

• śiśu-udarayoḥ: of (their) child and belly (i.e., family and stomach)
• śiśu-udarayoḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiśu (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter dual compound in Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Dual (द्विवचन); द्वन्द्व: śiśu ca udaraṃ ca; genitive dual 'of child and belly'

• bharaṇe: in the maintenance/support
• bharaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• eva: only/just
• eva: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• saktāḥ: attached/engrossed
• saktāḥ: Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sañj (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/ktá), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Plural; meaning 'attached/engaged'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: True bhakti is rare; mere appearance of devotion is invalid when driven by kāma (lust) and kṣudhā (appetite).

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi as prerequisite for bhakti/jñāna; critique of ahaṅkāra and indriya-parāyaṇatā (sense-slavery).

Application: Evaluate devotion by inner transformation (restraint, compassion, truthfulness) rather than external performance; practice moderation in food and sexuality as supports for bhakti.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.14 (pilgrimage for worldly ends; dispassion needed); Garuda Purana 3.24.15 (definition of devotee; avoidance of hatred)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Kali-yuga
• Bhaktas

FAQs

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

This verse stresses that genuine devotion is rare in Kali-yuga and cannot be reduced to outward display; real bhakti is marked by sāttvika character and inner restraint.

How does this verse distinguish real devotees from false devotees?

It says some only look like devotees externally, but their real attachment is to sense-gratification—especially lust and overeating—showing that their devotion is performative, not transformative.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose uplifting spiritual company, cultivate sāttvika habits, and actively restrain compulsions of lust and appetite so that devotion becomes a lived discipline rather than a public identity.