Shloka 68

Veṅkaṭeśa-Māhātmya: Varāha Prelude, Descent of Śeṣācala, Svāmipuṣkariṇī and the Network of Tīrthas

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

तत्र स्नात्वा वामनस्य स्वरूपश्रवणाद्विदुर्दानफलं समं च / दशहस्तप्रमाणं तु चन्द्रतीर्थमुदाहृतम्

Transliteration

tatra snātvā vāmanasya svarūpaśravaṇādvidurdānaphalaṃ samaṃ ca / daśahastapramāṇaṃ tu candratīrthamudāhṛtam

Translation

Après s’y être baigné, et par l’écoute de la forme divine de Vāmana, les sages déclarent qu’on obtient un mérite égal au fruit de la charité. Ce gué sacré est nommé Candra-tīrtha, et l’on dit qu’il s’étend sur dix longueurs de main.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having bathed’

• वामनस्य: of Vāmana
• वामनस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• स्वरूप-श्रवणात्: from hearing (about) the true form
• स्वरूप-श्रवणात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; समासः स्वरूपस्य श्रवणम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; अपादान (cause/source)

• विदुः: they know
• विदुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• दान-फलम्: fruit of donation
• दान-फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः दानस्य फलम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• समम्: equal
• समम्: Karma-pravacaniya/Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘equal/same’

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

• दश-हस्त-प्रमाणम्: measuring ten hands
• दश-हस्त-प्रमाणम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—‘दश हस्ताः प्रमाणम् यस्य’ (measure of ten hands)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध-बोधकः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• चन्द्र-तीर्थम्: Candra-tīrtha
• चन्द्र-तीर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• उदाहृतम्: is declared
• उदाहृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+आ+हृ (धातु) → उदाहृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः—‘is declared/said’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tirtha-snana combined with hearing about Vamana’s form yields merit equal to charitable giving; śravaṇa is elevated as a merit-producing act.

Vedantic Theme: Purification of mind through śravaṇa; karma-yoga orientation where acts and hearing are offered as sacred disciplines leading toward sattva and devotion.

Application: When visiting sacred places, combine physical purification (snana) with scriptural listening/discourse; treat learning as a spiritual practice, not merely information.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (sacred ford)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.26.67 (rarity of hearing at Candratirtha); Garuda Purana 3.26.69 (midday bathing; continued Hari-bhajana)

Characters & Entities

• Vamana
• Candra-tirtha

FAQs

What is the importance of Candra-tīrtha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that bathing at Candra-tīrtha, together with hearing about Vāmana’s divine form, yields merit considered equal to the fruit of charitable donations.

How does this verse connect ritual bathing with spiritual merit?

It links tīrtha-snāna (bathing at a sacred ford) and śravaṇa (devotional hearing) to punya, explicitly equating their result with dāna-phala, the merit traditionally gained through giving.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Combine outward practice (pilgrimage/bathing or other purifying observances) with inner practice (listening to and reflecting on divine qualities), and support it with charity—treating all three as complementary paths to merit.