Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

जैगीषव्यस्त्वेवमुक्तो महात्मा उवाच कन्यां संस्मरन् भक्तवर्यः / जैगीषव्य उवाच / प्रहादाद्या श्रीनिवासस्य भक्ताः कृत्वा नृसिंहे चोत्तमां भक्तिमेव

Transliteration

jaigīṣavyastvevamukto mahātmā uvāca kanyāṃ saṃsmaran bhaktavaryaḥ / jaigīṣavya uvāca / prahādādyā śrīnivāsasya bhaktāḥ kṛtvā nṛsiṃhe cottamāṃ bhaktimeva

Translation

Ainsi interpellé, le magnanime Jaigīṣavya—le premier parmi les dévots—se souvenant de la jeune fille, parla. Jaigīṣavya dit : «Prahlāda et d’autres, dévots de Śrīnivāsa, ont placé leur dévotion suprême en Narasiṃha seul…»

Word by Word

• जैगीषव्यः: Jaigīṣavya
• जैगीषव्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जैगीषव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle (emphasis/contrast)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण/adverb

• उक्तः: having been spoken to
• उक्तः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘said/addressed’

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: महत् + आत्मन् (कर्मधारय)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कन्याम्: the maiden/daughter
• कन्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• संस्मरन्: remembering
• संस्मरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘remembering’

• भक्तवर्यः: the best of devotees
• भक्तवर्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त + वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: भक्तः एव वर्यः (कर्मधारय)

• जैगीषव्यः: Jaigīṣavya
• जैगीषव्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जैगीषव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्रह्लादाद्याः: Prahlāda and others
• प्रह्लादाद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समास: प्रह्लादः आदिः येषाम् (तत्पुरुष/आदि-समास)

• श्रीनिवासस्य: of Śrīnivāsa (Viṣṇu)
• श्रीनिवासस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीनिवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समास: श्री + निवास (तत्पुरुष)

• भक्ताः: devotees
• भक्ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कृत्वा: having done/performing
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having done’

• नृसिंहे: in/unto Narasiṃha
• नृसिंहे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृसिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समास: नृ + सिंह (कर्मधारय)

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

• उत्तमाम्: supreme
• उत्तमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘भक्तिम्’

• भक्तिम्: devotion
• भक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

Speaker

Jaigishavya (Jaigīṣavya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prahlāda and other exemplars placed supreme devotion in Narasiṃha/Śrīnivāsa; remembrance of such devotees is itself instructive and purifying.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara’s accessible manifestation (avatāra) as object of single-pointed devotion; grace responding to unwavering śaraṇāgati.

Application: Choose an iṣṭa-rūpa (here Narasiṃha) and cultivate ekānta-bhakti through remembrance, mantra, and steadfastness under pressure.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.20 (question that prompts the exemplars)

Characters & Entities

• Jaigishavya
• Prahlada
• Shrinivasa
• Narasimha
• Kanya

FAQs

What is the importance of Narasimha-bhakti in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Narasiṃha as a focal form of Viṣṇu for “uttamā bhakti” (supreme devotion), exemplified by Prahlāda and other devotees of Śrīnivāsa.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

While not describing after-death geography directly, it frames liberation-oriented practice as unwavering devotion to Viṣṇu (here, Narasiṃha), implying that bhakti is a decisive spiritual refuge and guiding path.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady devotion—daily remembrance, prayer, and ethical living—taking inspiration from Prahlāda’s single-minded faith in Narasiṃha as a model of spiritual resilience.