Shloka 36

Devotpatti-nirūpaṇa — Hari’s Pūrṇatva

Completeness) and the Ritual Doctrine of Sāra (Essence

Devanagari script

ऊर्ध्वपुण्ड्रगदाहीना नार्यसारेति गीयते / हरिभक्तिविहीना ये ह्यसुराः परिकीर्तिताः

Transliteration

ūrdhvapuṇḍragadāhīnā nāryasāreti gīyate / haribhaktivihīnā ye hyasurāḥ parikīrtitāḥ

Translation

વૈષ્ણવ ઊર્ધ્વપુંડ્ર અને ભક્તિચિહ્ન વિનાની નારી ‘અસાર’ કહેવાય છે. અને જે હરિભક્તિથી રહિત છે, તેઓ ખરેખર અસુર તરીકે પરિકીર્તિત છે।

Word by Word

• ūrdhvapuṇḍragadāhīnā: Bereft of Urdhvapundra (tilak) and Gada (mark)
• ūrdhvapuṇḍragadāhīnā: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūrdhvapuṇḍragadāhīnā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• nārī: Woman
• nārī: Karma (Object/कर्म) in Passive
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• asārā: Essence-less / Worthless
• asārā: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asārā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• iti: Thus
• iti: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• gīyate: Is sung / declared
• gīyate: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gai (धातु)
• Form: Passive, Present Tense, 3rd Person, Singular

• haribhaktivihīnāḥ: Bereft of devotion to Hari
• haribhaktivihīnāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: haribhaktivihīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ye: Those who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Relative Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• hi: Indeed
• hi: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• asurāḥ: Demons
• asurāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म) in Passive context
• Type: Noun
• Root: asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• parikīrtitāḥ: Are proclaimed
• parikīrtitāḥ: Kriya-Visheshana or Predicate
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parikīrtita (kṛt-pratyaya)
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari-bhakti as the defining ‘sāra’ (essence); external and internal devotion are valued, and absence of devotion is equated with asuric disposition.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti as a purifying orientation of antaḥkaraṇa; daivī vs. āsurī sampad (ethical-spiritual disposition).

Application: Cultivate daily Hari-smaraṇa and devotional conduct; if adopting ūrdhva-puṇḍra, pair it with sincere practice (japa, pūjā, sat-saṅga) rather than mere display.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: social-religious space (household/temple)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.14 (sāra/niḥsāra taxonomy applied to persons and practices)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Asuras
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse frames devotion to Hari as a defining spiritual quality; absence of Hari-bhakti is described as ‘asuric’—a mindset opposed to dharma and divine alignment.

What does this verse imply about ūrdhva-puṇḍra (Vaiṣṇava tilaka)?

It treats ūrdhva-puṇḍra and associated sacred marks as outward indicators of inner Vaiṣṇava orientation; without that devotional identity, a person is said to lack ‘sāra’ (spiritual substance).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady devotion (bhakti) through remembrance, worship, and ethical conduct; use external practices like tilaka as supportive disciplines, not as substitutes for genuine devotion.