Shloka 98

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

Devanagari script

स्त्रीरूपेभ्यो नमनं कार्यमेव कन्ये मया पश्चिमस्थे दले च / गोपाख्यनारायणब्रह्मवायुविप्रादिकानां शेषरूद्रादिकानाम्

Transliteration

strīrūpebhyo namanaṃ kāryameva kanye mayā paścimasthe dale ca / gopākhyanārāyaṇabrahmavāyuviprādikānāṃ śeṣarūdrādikānām

Translation

હે કન્યે, સ્ત્રી-રૂપોને નમન કરવું જ જોઈએ; તેમજ પશ્ચિમ તરફ સ્થિત દળને પણ. ગોપ નામથી આરંભ થતા, નારાયણ, બ્રહ્મા, વાયુ અને વિપ્ર-ઋષિ આદિને, તેમજ શેષ અને રુદ્ર આદિને નમસ્કાર।

Word by Word

• strī-rūpebhyaḥ: to the female forms
• strī-rūpebhyaḥ: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; ‘from/to the female-forms’ (here used with namanaṃ: ‘to’)

• namanam: bowing/salutation
• namanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namana (प्रातिपदिक; action-noun from √nam)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; verbal noun ‘bowing’

• kāryam: is to be done
• kāryam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; ‘to be done/necessary’

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• kanye: O maiden
• kanye: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr̥karaṇa (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग/सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by me’

• paścima-sthe: in the western (situated)
• paścima-sthe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; qualifying dale: ‘in the west-situated’

• dale: in the petal
• dale: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

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

• gopākhya-nārāyaṇa-brahma-vāyu-vipra-ādikānām: of those beginning with (the) Gopa-named Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Vāyu, Vipra, etc.
• gopākhya-nārāyaṇa-brahma-vāyu-vipra-ādikānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक) + nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + vāyu (प्रातिपदिक) + vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those beginning with (the) Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Vāyu, Vipra, etc., called Gopa’

• śeṣa-rudra-ādikānām: of those beginning with Śeṣa and Rudra
• śeṣa-rudra-ādikānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those beginning with Śeṣa and Rudra’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devotion expressed as systematic namaskāra to śakti-forms and to a Nārāyaṇa-centered retinue arranged by direction.

Vedantic Theme: Many names/forms as upādhis of one sustaining reality; harmonizing śakti and īśvara within worship.

Application: In padma-nyāsa, turn attention to the western petal; recite the names (Gopa-ākhyā, Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Vāyu, vipra/ṛṣi presences, Śeṣa, Rudra, etc.) and offer mental prostration.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mandala/lotus-seat (padma)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.97 (right petal); Garuda Purana 3.24.99 (Īśāna petal); Garuda Purana 3.24.100 (center)

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Brahma
• Vayu
• Shesha
• Rudra
• Vipras (Brahmanas)

FAQs

What is the importance of offering namana (salutations) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse frames namaskāra as a required dharmic act—honoring divine presences (including feminine forms) and specific directional placements, indicating disciplined, reverent worship rather than casual devotion.

How does this verse relate to ritual structure (like lotus/petal placement) described in the Garuda Purana?

By mentioning the “western petal,” the verse implies a diagrammatic or lotus-based arrangement used in worship/nyāsa, where deities are invoked and honored according to fixed directions and assigned positions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain orderly, respectful worship: begin with salutations, include gratitude toward teachers/sages (vipras), and follow a consistent method (directional focus or prescribed sequence) to cultivate humility and steadiness in practice.