Shloka 96

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

Devanagari script

पद्मस्य पूर्वस्थदले च देवि स्त्रीरूपाख्यं विमलाख्यामिमां च / ब्रह्मादिदेवान्प्रणमेच्च देवि आग्नेयकोणस्थदले शृणुत्वम्

Transliteration

padmasya pūrvasthadale ca devi strīrūpākhyaṃ vimalākhyāmimāṃ ca / brahmādidevānpraṇamecca devi āgneyakoṇasthadale śṛṇutvam

Translation

Ô Déesse, sur le pétale oriental du lotus, contemple et invoque cette puissance pure, dite « Strī-rūpā » (forme féminine) et nommée Vimalā. Et, ô Déesse, prosterne-toi devant Brahmā et les autres dieux ; puis, sur le pétale situé à l’angle sud-est (angle d’Agni), écoute la suite de l’enseignement.

Word by Word

• padmasya: of the lotus
• padmasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of the lotus)

• pūrva-stha-dale: in the east-situated petal
• pūrva-stha-dale: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक) + dala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; पूर्वस्थे दले = in the petal situated in the east

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

• devi: O goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधनविभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधन

• strī-rūpa-ākhyam: named ‘Strīrūpa’
• strī-rūpa-ākhyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा? (contextually Accusative as object), एकवचन; -ākhyam = named/called; here qualifying an implied deity/form

• vimalā-ākhyām: (the one) called Vimalā
• vimalā-ākhyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimalā (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘called Vimalā’ (as an appositive to an implied devī/form)

• imām: this (one)
• imām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

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

• brahma-ādi-devān: the gods beginning with Brahmā
• brahma-ādi-devān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘the gods beginning with Brahmā’

• praṇamet: should bow (salute)
• praṇamet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should bow’

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

• devi: O goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधनविभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• āgneya-koṇa-stha-dale: in the petal in the southeast corner
• āgneya-koṇa-stha-dale: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āgneya (प्रातिपदिक) + koṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक) + dala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘in the petal situated in the south-east corner’

• śṛṇu: hear
• śṛṇu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘hear!’

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम? (actually 2nd person pronoun), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; pronoun ‘you’

Speaker

Likely Lord Vishnu instructing Garuda (within a ritual/nyasa-dhyana style passage); the verse itself addresses 'Devi' as the invoked deity.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śakti-invocation (Vimalā, Strī-rūpā) and devatā-vandana cultivate purity and receptivity; listening (śṛṇutvam) emphasizes śravaṇa as a sacred act.

Vedantic Theme: Śravaṇa as a gateway to jñāna; devatā-upāsanā as preparatory purification (citta-śuddhi).

Application: Begin study/ritual with a purity-invocation; honor the wider sacred order; then consciously shift into listening mode—undistracted, receptive, and disciplined.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: lotus-mandala

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.92-95 (pīṭha/lotus directional placements and salutations)

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Brahma
• Devas
• Agni (directional deity implied by 'Agneya')

FAQs

What is the importance of lotus-petal placement (east and Agneya corner) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses the lotus (padma) as a ritual-meditative map: specific petals and directions correspond to specific invoked powers and deities, helping structure focused worship and orderly progression of the practice.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: rather than describing the soul’s journey, it presents a purification-oriented devotional method (invoking Vimalā and saluting devas) that supports dharmic living and spiritual preparedness—key themes underlying the Purana’s afterlife teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Begin any spiritual practice with inner purity and reverence: mentally ‘place’ attention in an ordered way (east/southeast as cues), invoke purity (vimalatā), and offer respectful salutations before proceeding with further study or worship.