Shloka 17

Jāmbavatī’s Vaiṣṇava-Ācāra: Grace, Sense-Consecration, and Pilgrimage to Śrīnivāsa on Veṅkaṭādri

Devanagari script

निष्कामरूपे च मतिं चकार वागिन्द्रियं स्तवनं स्वीचकार / एवं सदा कार्यसमूहमात्मना समर्पयित्वा परमेशपादयोः

Transliteration

niṣkāmarūpe ca matiṃ cakāra vāgindriyaṃ stavanaṃ svīcakāra / evaṃ sadā kāryasamūhamātmanā samarpayitvā parameśapādayoḥ

Translation

彼は心を無欲の（無私の）信愛に定め、言葉の器官を主の讃嘆に用いた。かくして自らの行いのすべてを常に至上主の御足に捧げ、専心して離れなかった。

Word by Word

• निष्काम-रूपे: in a desireless state
• निष्काम-रूपे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्काम + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular; ‘in desireless form/state’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय; conjunction

• मतिम्: the mind/intellect
• मतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular

• चकार: made/placed
• चकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वाक्-इन्द्रियम्: the speech faculty
• वाक्-इन्द्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular; ‘organ of speech’

• स्तवनम्: praise/hymn
• स्तवनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular; used as predicate-object (‘as praise’)

• स्वीचकार: accepted/adopted
• स्वीचकार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वी + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘accepted/adopted’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थे (‘thus’)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय; adverb ‘always’

• कार्य-समूहम्: the whole set of actions
• कार्य-समूहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य + समूह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular; ‘collection of actions/duties’

• आत्मना: by oneself
• आत्मना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental singular; ‘by oneself/with the self’

• समर्पयित्वा: having dedicated
• समर्पयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त/gerund); ‘having offered/dedicated’

• परमेश-पादयोः: to the feet of the Supreme Lord
• परमेश-पादयोः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेश + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6/7), द्विवचन; genitive/locative dual; ‘of/at the feet of the Supreme Lord’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, teaching the means of liberation through selfless devotion and surrender)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Niṣkāma-bhakti and karma-samarpaṇa: offering all actions to the Supreme dissolves bondage and purifies the mind.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga leading to antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi; īśvara-arpita-buddhi and prasadabuddhi as steps toward jñāna and liberation.

Application: Before and after actions, mentally dedicate them to the Lord; cultivate desirelessness by checking motives; use speech for praise/benefit rather than ego.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: inner spiritual locus (heart/feet of the Lord as symbolic place)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: bhakti-ācāra emphasizing stuti, niṣkāmatā, and offering of deeds; frequent motif of ‘pāda’ as refuge

Characters & Entities

• Parameshvara (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What is the importance of nishkama (desireless) practice in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents desireless intention as the core spiritual orientation: when the mind is fixed without personal craving and actions are surrendered to the Supreme Lord, one’s deeds become purifying rather than binding.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana context?

By emphasizing constant surrender of all actions and devotional praise, it points to a path that reduces karmic bondage—supporting a smoother post-death journey by cultivating inner detachment and God-centered remembrance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform daily duties without obsession over results, use speech for prayer/praise rather than harm, and mentally dedicate your work to the Divine—turning ordinary life into a discipline of purification.