Shloka 17
Hymns to Nārāyaṇa: Humility, Bhakti, Yoga, and the Guṇas
एवं स्तुत्त्वा महाभागो विष्वक्से नो महाप्रभो / तूष्णीं बभूव गरुड प्राञ्जलिर्नम्रकन्धरः / मित्रादहं न्यून एव नात्र कार्या विचारणा
evaṃ stuttvā mahābhāgo viṣvakse no mahāprabho / tūṣṇīṃ babhūva garuḍa prāñjalirnamrakandharaḥ / mitrādahaṃ nyūna eva nātra kāryā vicāraṇā
Ainsi, après avoir loué le grand Seigneur Viṣvaksena, le noble Garuḍa demeura silencieux—les mains jointes en vénération, la nuque inclinée dans l’humilité—pensant : «Comparé à mon ami (le Seigneur), je suis vraiment inférieur ; il n’est nul besoin d’en délibérer.»
Narrator (describing Garuda’s response after praising Lord Vishnu/Viṣvaksena)
Concept: Humility (vinaya) and surrender (śaraṇāgati) as the natural culmination of praise; recognizing one’s smallness before the Lord and His foremost attendants.
Vedantic Theme: Dāsya-bhāva and ego-softening as a prerequisite for grace; the finite jīva’s limitation before the Infinite.
Application: After prayer or success, pause into silence, bow inwardly, and consciously relinquish comparison/ego; cultivate reverence toward the Lord and His devotees/servants.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
Related Themes: Garuda Purana (dialogue portions praising Vishnu and His attendants; stuti leading to upadeśa)
FAQs
This verse portrays Garuḍa’s reverent posture after praise—silence, folded hands, and bowed neck—showing that true devotion culminates in humility and surrender rather than argument or self-assertion.
Viṣvaksena is a revered Vaishnava figure associated with the Lord’s divine retinue/command, invoked here as an epithet of supreme authority; Garuḍa praises him as “mahāprabhu,” emphasizing the Lord’s sovereignty.
Adopt the attitude modeled by Garuḍa—offer praise sincerely, remain calm and receptive, and let humility guide decisions instead of ego-driven debate.