Shloka 89

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

Devanagari script

तस्योपरिष्टाच्छक्तिसंज्ञां च लक्ष्मीमाधाररूपां प्रणमेच्चैव नित्यम् / तस्योपरिष्टाद्वायुकूर्मौ नमेच्च तस्योपरिष्टाच्छेषकूर्मौ नमेच्च

Transliteration

tasyopariṣṭācchaktisaṃjñāṃ ca lakṣmīmādhārarūpāṃ praṇameccaiva nityam / tasyopariṣṭādvāyukūrmau namecca tasyopariṣṭāccheṣakūrmau namecca

Translation

Di atasnya, hendaknya senantiasa bersujud kepada Lakṣmī yang disebut Śakti, sang penopang segala. Di atasnya lagi, hendaknya bersembah kepada Vāyu-Kūrma; dan di atasnya lagi, kepada Śeṣa-Kūrma.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of that/its
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• उपरिष्टात्: above (on top)
• उपरिष्टात्: अधिकरण (स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरिष्टात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• शक्ति-संज्ञाम्: having the designation 'Śakti'
• शक्ति-संज्ञाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of लक्ष्मीम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; तत्पुरुष (शक्तिः संज्ञा यस्याः)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• लक्ष्मीम्: Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्मीम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• आधार-रूपाम्: of the form of support/foundation
• आधार-रूपाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of लक्ष्मीम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; तत्पुरुष (आधारं रूपं यस्याः)

• प्रणमेत्: should bow
• प्रणमेत्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: कालाधिकरण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन अव्ययवत्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तस्य: of that/its
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• उपरिष्टात्: above
• उपरिष्टात्: अधिकरण (स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरिष्टात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• वायु-कूर्मौ: the two Vāyu-tortoises (Vāyu-kūrmas)
• वायु-कूर्मौ: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; Accusative dual; कर्मधारय (वायुः कूर्मः)

• नमेत्: should bow
• नमेत्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• तस्य: of that/its
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• उपरिष्टात्: above
• उपरिष्टात्: अधिकरण (स्थान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरिष्टात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• शेष-कूर्मौ: the two Śeṣa-tortoises (Śeṣa-kūrmas)
• शेष-कूर्मौ: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक) + कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; Accusative dual; कर्मधारय (शेषः कूर्मः)

• नमेत्: should bow
• नमेत्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Adhara-tattva: reality is structured by supports—Shakti as sustaining power and Kurma-forms as stabilizers—inviting contemplation of cosmic dependence on the Divine.

Vedantic Theme: Shakti as upadhi/energy of Ishvara in cosmological function; the world’s stability is not autonomous but grounded in the Supreme.

Application: During meditation or puja, visualize the altar and one’s life as ‘supported’—offer gratitude and reduce egoic self-sufficiency by remembering the sustaining power behind all stability.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: vertical cosmographic tiers above the sacred seat

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.90-91 (further upper tiers: Bhudevi, Varuna, Svetadvipa, Lakshmi forms)

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmi
• Shakti
• Vayu
• Shesha
• Kurma

FAQs

What is the importance of Lakshmi as Shakti (ādhāra-rūpā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Lakṣmī as Śakti—the sustaining support (ādhāra) that upholds the cosmic order—therefore she is to be honored with continual reverence (nityam praṇama).

How does this verse explain the structure of the cosmos (what is “above that…above that”)?

It describes a vertical hierarchy of supportive principles: above a prior base are successively honored supports—Lakṣmī-Śakti, then Vāyu-Kūrma, then Śeṣa-Kūrma—indicating layered cosmic foundations in Purāṇic cosmography.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily reverence for the sustaining powers of life—gratitude and disciplined devotion—by offering respectful salutations (praṇāma) to Viṣṇu, Lakṣmī, and the cosmic order they represent.