Shloka 37

Bhakti-māhātmya: The Marks of the Vaiṣṇava and the Liberating Power of Exclusive Devotion

Devanagari script

भवोद्भवक्लेशशतैर्हतस्तथा परिभ्रमन्निन्द्रियरन्ध्रकैर्हयैः / नियम्यतां माधव ! मे मनोहयस्त्वदङ्घ्रिशङ्कौ दृढभक्तिबन्धने

Transliteration

bhavodbhavakleśaśatairhatastathā paribhramannindriyarandhrakairhayaiḥ / niyamyatāṃ mādhava ! me manohayastvadaṅghriśaṅkau dṛḍhabhaktibandhane

Translation

輪廻より生じた幾百の苦しみに打ち倒され、諸根の穴を駆け抜ける感官の馬に引き回されて彷徨う我を、ああマーダヴァよ、どうか我が心の馬を制し、堅固なバクティの綱で、御足という杭に固く結びつけ給え。

Word by Word

• भवोद्भवक्लेशशतैः: by hundreds of afflictions arising from worldly existence
• भवोद्भवक्लेशशतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक) + क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (भव-उद्भव-क्लेश-शत = भवोद्भवैः क्लेशशतैः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• हतः: struck; afflicted
• हतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (अहं/मनः implied)

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• परिभ्रमन्: wandering about
• परिभ्रमन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-√भ्रम् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• इन्द्रियरन्ध्रकैः: by the sense-openings (as)
• इन्द्रियरन्ध्रकैः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + रन्ध्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (इन्द्रिय-रन्ध्रक = इन्द्रियाणां रन्ध्रकाः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (हयैः इति)

• हयैः: by horses
• हयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नियम्यताम्: let (it) be restrained
• नियम्यताम्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√यम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/विधिलिङ्गसदृश), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (let it be restrained)

• माधव: O Mādhava (Viṣṇu)
• माधव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मनःहयः: the mind-horse (mind as a horse)
• मनःहयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + हय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (मनः-हयः = मन एव हयः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण (अङ्घ्रि-शङ्कौ इति)

• अङ्घ्रिशङ्कौ: in the stake/pillar of (your) feet (i.e., at your feet as a tethering-post)
• अङ्घ्रिशङ्कौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्घ्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + शङ्कु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (अङ्घ्रि-शङ्कु = अङ्घ्र्योः शङ्कुः), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• दृढभक्तिबन्धने: in the binding-rope of firm devotion
• दृढभक्तिबन्धने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (दृढ-भक्ति-बन्धन = दृढया भक्त्या बन्धनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; साधन/अधिकरणभाव

Speaker

A devotee/supplicant addressing Lord Vishnu (Mādhava) within the Vishnu-centered teaching context

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mind-control is achieved not merely by willpower but by tethering the mind to Viṣṇu’s feet through dṛḍha-bhakti; senses are likened to unruly horses.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-niyama through īśvara-ālambana; bhakti as a practical method for pratyāhāra and śama leading toward mokṣa.

Application: Use japa and pāda-sevā-bhāva (mentally placing the mind at the Lord’s feet) when overwhelmed; treat sensory impulses as ‘horses’ to be reined by devotional routines.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana devotional passages on nāma, smaraṇa, and mind-restraint (general thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Mādhava (Lord Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of controlling the mind and senses in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the senses as unruly horses that drag the person into wandering and suffering; restraint (niyama) anchored in devotion to Vishnu is presented as the stabilizing discipline.

How does this verse explain liberation from samsara?

It depicts samsara as producing repeated afflictions, and proposes firm bhakti at the Lord’s feet as the ‘stake’ that keeps the mind from being pulled outward by sense-channels, supporting inwardness and spiritual freedom.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat sense-impulses as forces to be trained: practice daily devotion (japa/prayer), reduce sensory over-stimulation, and repeatedly ‘tie’ attention to a chosen Vishnu-focused practice to steady the mind.