Shloka 37

Dāna-vrata and the Tīrtha Circuit of Venkaṭādri

Snāna, Mantra, Naivedya

Devanagari script

वेङ्कटेशस्य नैवेद्यं सदा लक्ष्मीः करोति वै / ब्रह्मा पूजयते नित्यमेवं शास्त्रस्य निर्णयः

Transliteration

veṅkaṭeśasya naivedyaṃ sadā lakṣmīḥ karoti vai / brahmā pūjayate nityamevaṃ śāstrasya nirṇayaḥ

Translation

En vérité, Śrī Lakṣmī prépare sans cesse l’offrande de nourriture (naivedya) pour Veṅkaṭeśa, et Brahmā L’adore chaque jour — telle est la conclusion arrêtée des Écritures sacrées.

Word by Word

• veṅkaṭa-īśasya: of Veṅkaṭeśa
• veṅkaṭa-īśasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veṅkaṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (proper name)

• naivedyam: food offering (naivedya)
• naivedyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naivedya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always)

• lakṣmīḥ: Lakṣmī
• lakṣmīḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; proper noun

• karoti: does / prepares
• karoti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; proper noun

• pūjayate: worships
• pūjayate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• nityam: daily / constantly
• nityam: Kāla (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative)

• evam: thus
• evam: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• śāstrasya: of the scripture
• śāstrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• nirṇayaḥ: conclusion / determination
• nirṇayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirṇaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Naivedya and nitya-pūjā as central modes of devotion; the Lord’s supremacy affirmed by participation of Lakṣmī and Brahmā.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sarvottamatva (supremacy of the Lord) and śrī-sahitatva (the Lord inseparable from Śrī/Lakṣmī) as a devotional-metaphysical frame.

Application: Maintain regular offerings and worship with purity and consistency; treat prasāda as sacred, remembering it is linked to divine service.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: temple sanctum (garbhagṛha) / divine abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.27.38–39 on conduct regarding naivedya and offering before eating; 3.27.36 on Veṅkaṭādri mahima.

Characters & Entities

• Venkatesha
• Lakshmi
• Brahma

FAQs

What is the importance of naivedya (food offering) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats naivedya as a central act of devotion: offering food to the Lord is portrayed as a divinely sanctioned practice, validated by śāstra, and associated with continuous service to Viṣṇu.

How does this verse fit the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue flow in the Garuda Purana?

It functions as an authoritative statement from Lord Viṣṇu to Garuḍa, establishing that daily worship of Veṅkaṭeśa is upheld by scriptural conclusion, with Lakṣmī and Brahmā shown as exemplars of that worship.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a consistent daily worship routine—offer simple, pure food as naivedya with reverence, and treat devotion as steady service (nityam), guided by scriptural discipline rather than impulse.