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Shloka 19

Gradations of Bliss and Knowledge; Lakṣmī’s Special Insight; The Rarity of Bhakti in Kali-yuga; Nīlā’s Vow and Śrīnivāsa Darśana

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मापि पश्येत्सर्वगं वासुदेवं वाय्वादिभ्यो ह्यधिकान्सद्गुणांश्च / श्रोत्रं न जानाति हरेर्गुणांश्च सुसूक्ष्मरूपांश्च विशेषसंयुतान्

Transliteration

brahmāpi paśyetsarvagaṃ vāsudevaṃ vāyvādibhyo hyadhikānsadguṇāṃśca / śrotraṃ na jānāti harerguṇāṃśca susūkṣmarūpāṃśca viśeṣasaṃyutān

Translation

Brahmā pun memandang Vāsudeva yang meresapi segalanya dan mengenali pada-Nya kebajikan yang melampaui Vāyu dan para dewa lainnya; namun hanya dengan pendengaran semata, sifat-sifat Hari tidak sungguh dipahami—sebab wujud-Nya amat halus dan penuh keunggulan yang khas.

Word by Word
ब्रह्माBrahmā
ब्रह्मा:
कर्ता
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular
अपिeven
अपि:
निपात
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle: even/also)
पश्येत्may see
पश्येत्:
क्रिया
TypeVerb
Rootपश् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3sg
सर्व-गम्all-pervading
सर्व-गम्:
कर्म-विशेषण
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (कृदन्त; गम् धातु, ड)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; विशेषण qualifying वासुदेवम्
वासुदेवम्Vāsudeva
वासुदेवम्:
कर्म
TypeNoun
Rootवासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular
वायु-आदिभ्यःthan Vāyu and others
वायु-आदिभ्यः:
अपादान
TypeNoun
Rootवायु (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, बहुवचन; Ablative plural
हिindeed
हि:
निपात
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formहेतुवाचक/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)
अधिकान्greater, superior
अधिकान्:
कर्म-विशेषण
TypeAdjective
Rootअधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; विशेषण qualifying सद्गुणान्
सत्-गुणान्good qualities
सत्-गुणान्:
कर्म (understood with जानाति in next pāda as object)
TypeNoun
Rootसत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Accusative plural
चand
च:
समुच्चय
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय
श्रोत्रम्the ear (sense of hearing)
श्रोत्रम्:
कर्ता
TypeNoun
Rootश्रोत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular
नnot
न:
निपात
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)
जानातिknows
जानाति:
क्रिया
TypeVerb
Rootज्ञा (धातु)
Formलट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present 3sg
हरेःof Hari
हरेः:
सम्बन्ध
TypeNoun
Rootहरि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular
गुणान्qualities
गुणान्:
कर्म
TypeNoun
Rootगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Accusative plural
चand
च:
समुच्चय
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय
सुसूक्ष्म-रूपान्of extremely subtle form
सुसूक्ष्म-रूपान्:
कर्म-विशेषण
TypeAdjective
Rootसु (अव्यय) + सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; विशेषण qualifying गुणान् (or understood objects)
चand
च:
समुच्चय
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय
विशेष-संयुतान्endowed with distinctions
विशेष-संयुतान्:
कर्म-विशेषण
TypeAdjective
Rootविशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (कृदन्त; सम्+युज् धातु, क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; विशेषण qualifying गुणान्
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Vāsudeva) speaking to Garuda (Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari’s guṇas are supremely subtle and uniquely qualified; direct realization/vision surpasses second-hand hearing.

Vedantic Theme: Transcendence with immanence: sarvagata Vāsudeva whose attributes are beyond ordinary pramāṇas; need for refined bhakti-jñāna.

Application: Move from mere information (hearing) to disciplined contemplation and devotion (manana, nididhyāsana, upāsanā); seek experiential understanding through sādhana.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring contrast of śravaṇa vs sākṣātkāra in Viṣṇu-bhakti passages (thematic)

Characters & Entities
B
Brahma
V
Vasudeva
V
Vayu
H
Hari
D
Devas

FAQs

This verse stresses that Hari’s reality and attributes are so subtle and uniquely qualified that they cannot be fully grasped by sensory means like mere hearing; realization requires deeper spiritual insight and devotion.

Even Brahmā can perceive Vāsudeva as all-pervading and supremely virtuous, yet ordinary auditory learning (śrotra) cannot encompass Hari’s guṇas, indicating the limits of sense-based and secondhand knowledge.

Go beyond passive listening: pair scriptural study with sincere practice—devotion, contemplation, and ethical living—so understanding becomes experiential rather than merely informational.

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