Shloka 13

Jñāna-hetu-nirūpaṇa

On the Causes/Means of Knowledge

Devanagari script

श्रीवत्सलक्ष्मं गलशोभिकौस्तुभं संपश्यन्तं सुप्रसन्नार्द्रदृष्ट्या / दृष्ट्वा हरिं ब्रह्म नारायणं च पुरः स्थितं भक्तवश्यं दयालुम्

Transliteration

śrīvatsalakṣmaṃ galaśobhikaustubhaṃ saṃpaśyantaṃ suprasannārdradṛṣṭyā / dṛṣṭvā hariṃ brahma nārāyaṇaṃ ca puraḥ sthitaṃ bhaktavaśyaṃ dayālum

Translation

静まり、やわらかく、恩寵に満ちた眼差しで、彼はハリ—ブラフマー、ナーラーヤナ—を拝した。胸にはシュリーヴァツァの印、ラクシュミーを伴い、首にはカウストゥバ宝珠が輝く。眼前に立つのは、帰依者の愛に従われる慈悲深き主であった。

Word by Word

• श्रीवत्स-लक्ष्मम्: bearing the Śrīvatsa mark
• श्रीवत्स-लक्ष्मम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘श्रीवत्सस्य लक्ष्म यस्य’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies हरिम्

• गल-शोभि-कौस्तुभम्: with the Kaustubha gem shining on the neck
• गल-शोभि-कौस्तुभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गल (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘गले शोभि कौस्तुभः यस्य’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies हरिम्

• सम्पश्यन्तम्: seeing (him)
• सम्पश्यन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पश्य् (धातु) + शतृ
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘seeing/looking’

• सुप्रसन्न-अर्द्र-दृष्ट्या: with a very serene and moist (compassionate) gaze
• सुप्रसन्न-अर्द्र-दृष्ट्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular (means/manner)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); ‘having seen’

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular

• ब्रह्म: Brahman / the Absolute
• ब्रह्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to हरिम्

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to हरिम्

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

• पुरः: in front
• पुरः: Desha-adhikarana (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (adverb of place: ‘in front’)

• स्थितम्: standing
• स्थितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘standing/placed’

• भक्त-वश्यम्: submissive to devotees
• भक्त-वश्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘भक्तस्य वश्यः’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies हरिम्

• दयालुम्: compassionate
• दयालुम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दयालु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies हरिम्

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the vision of Lord Hari/Nārāyaṇa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bhagavān becomes ‘bhakta-vaśya’—responsive to loving devotion; His auspicious marks signify grace and refuge.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna Brahman as the compassionate Lord whose attributes (lakṣaṇa) support upāsanā; īśvara-anugraha as the doorway to realization.

Application: Cultivate daily darśana-bhāva (visualization/altar worship), remembering Śrīvatsa–Kaustubha–Lakṣmī as symbols of refuge, and approach prayer with tenderness rather than demand.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): Vishnu-stuti and bhakti-mahima passages in later adhyayas; Garuda Purana: descriptions of Viṣṇu’s marks (lakṣaṇa) in devotional sections

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Narayana
• Lakshmi
• Kaustubha
• Shrivatsa

FAQs

What is the importance of bhaktavaśya (devotion-controlled Lord) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that Hari is dayālu (compassionate) and bhaktavaśya—He responds to sincere devotion, emphasizing bhakti as a direct means to receive divine grace.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By portraying a direct vision of Hari/Nārāyaṇa with a tender, grace-filled gaze, it points to divine darśana and mercy as transformative supports on the soul’s journey toward peace and liberation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady bhakti—remembrance, prayer, and ethical living—trusting that compassion and grace (dayā) are central to spiritual progress.