Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

अनन्तरूपोधिककान्तकान्तिमान्रूद्रादीनां दृश्यते वेङ्कटेशः / ससूर्यलक्षाधिककान्तकान्तितो रुद्रादीनां दृश्यते श्रीनिवासः

Transliteration

anantarūpodhikakāntakāntimānrūdrādīnāṃ dṛśyate veṅkaṭeśaḥ / sasūryalakṣādhikakāntakāntito rudrādīnāṃ dṛśyate śrīnivāsaḥ

Translation

Rudra dan para dewa lainnya memandang Veṅkaṭeśa sebagai berkeindahan dan bercahaya melampaui tak terhitung rupa; dan Rudra beserta yang lain memandang Śrīnivāsa dengan kemilau yang lebih elok daripada ratusan ribu matahari.

Word by Word

• अनन्तरूप: of infinite forms
• अनन्तरूप: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (as first member), समासपूर्वपद; कर्मधारय (anantaṃ rūpam)

• अधिक: exceeding
• अधिक: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/उपपदसमासपूर्वपदभावे (as pre-member meaning 'exceeding')

• कान्त: beauty
• कान्त: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (beautiful)

• कान्तिमान्: radiant/possessing splendor
• कान्तिमान्: विशेषण (Adjective to वेङ्कटेशः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्ति + मतुप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessing radiance)

• रुद्रादीनाम्: of Rudra and others
• रुद्रादीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• दृश्यते: is seen
• दृश्यते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु √दृश्)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (passive)

• वेङ्कटेशः: Veṅkaṭeśa
• वेङ्कटेशः: कर्ता (Karta; passive subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेङ्कट-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (veṅkaṭasya īśaḥ)

• स: he/that one
• स: कर्ता (Karta; refers to Śrīnivāsa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संकेत (that/he)

• सूर्यलक्ष: a hundred-thousand suns
• सूर्यलक्ष: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य-लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sūryāṇāṃ lakṣaḥ = a hundred-thousand suns)

• अधिक: exceeding
• अधिक: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; अतिशयार्थ (exceeding)

• कान्त: beauty
• कान्त: समासाङ्ग (Compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद

• कान्तितः: by/owing to (his) radiance
• कान्तितः: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ/कारणार्थे (from/owing to radiance)

• रुद्रादीनाम्: of Rudra and others
• रुद्रादीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• दृश्यते: is seen
• दृश्यते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु √दृश्)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि

• श्रीनिवासः: Śrīnivāsa
• श्रीनिवासः: कर्ता (Karta; passive subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-निवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Lord’s form is inexhaustible (ananta-rūpa) and transcends all comparative measures; divine beauty is a gateway to devotion and surrender.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-brahman as ananta-kalyāṇa-guṇa; the finite mind uses superlatives (many suns) to gesture toward the infinite.

Application: Use stuti and contemplation of divine qualities to steady attention; let aesthetic wonder mature into steady bhakti rather than mere spectacle.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-parvata-mandira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.9-11 (comparative visibility to different beings; aparokṣa vs distant perception)

Characters & Entities

• Venkatesha
• Shrinivasa
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Devas
• Surya

FAQs

What is the importance of Venkatesha/Shri­nivasa in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse elevates Venkateśa (Śrīnivāsa) as the supreme, incomparable divine presence whose beauty and radiance surpass even what the greatest devas (including Rudra) can describe, emphasizing Vishnu’s transcendent glory.

Does this verse relate to afterlife teachings or death rituals in the Garuda Purana?

Not directly—this shloka is devotional and theological, focusing on the vision (darśana) of Venkateśa/Śrīnivāsa and His unmatched splendor, rather than preta-rites, Yama’s realm, or post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a short stotra for daily remembrance: contemplating the Lord’s boundless radiance cultivates bhakti, humility, and steadiness of mind—supporting dharmic living and devotion-centered practice.