Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

अज्ञानिनः सुखरे समधिक्षिपन्तो यत्पापिनो ऽपि शिशुपालसुयोधनाद्याः / मुक्तिं गताः स्मरणमात्रविधूतपापाः कः संशयः परमभक्तिमतां जनानाम्

Transliteration

ajñāninaḥ sukhare samadhikṣipanto yatpāpino 'pi śiśupālasuyodhanādyāḥ / muktiṃ gatāḥ smaraṇamātravidhūtapāpāḥ kaḥ saṃśayaḥ paramabhaktimatāṃ janānām

Translation

അജ്ഞാനികളും അനായാസം നിന്ദ ചൊരിയുന്നവരും, ശിശുപാലൻ-സുയോധനൻ മുതലായ പാപികളും പോലും—സ്മരണ മാത്രം കൊണ്ട് പാപം കഴുകി—മോക്ഷം പ്രാപിച്ചു; പിന്നെ പരമഭക്തിയുള്ളവരുടെ മോക്ഷത്തിൽ എന്ത് സംശയം?

Word by Word

• अज्ञानिनः: the ignorant (people)
• अज्ञानिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajñānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• सुखरे: in a pleasant/easy (state)
• सुखरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अर्थे—सुखरे स्थाने/विषये)

• समधिक्षिपन्तः: casting/throwing (themselves) into
• समधिक्षिपन्तः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-adhi-√kṣip (क्षिप् धातु) + (शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle)

• यत्: whereas/that
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative particle: 'whereas/that')

• पापिनः: sinners
• पापिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक निपात (even/also)

• शिशुपालसुयोधनाद्याः: Śiśupāla, Suyodhana, and others
• शिशुपालसुयोधनाद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiśupāla (प्रातिपदिक) + suyodhana (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (शिशुपालः च सुयोधनः च) + 'आदि' (etc.)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• गताः: attained/went to
• गताः: Kriya (Result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु) + gata (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• स्मरणमात्रविधूतपापाः: whose sins were shaken off by mere remembrance
• स्मरणमात्रविधूतपापाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhūta (कृदन्त, क्त; √dhū) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: स्मरणमात्रेण विधूतानि पापानि येषाम्; विशेषणम् (पापिनः/आद्याः)

• कः: what/which
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• परमभक्तिमताम्: of those possessing supreme devotion
• परमभक्तिमताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaktimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमा भक्तिः यस्य)

• जनानाम्: of people
• जनानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even hostile remembrance of the Lord can purify and lead to liberation; therefore, unwavering bhakti certainly leads to mokṣa.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma/smaraṇa as purifier; the Lord’s grace surpassing moral calculus while still affirming bhakti as the highest means; the paradox of ‘dveṣa-bhakti’ (fixation through enmity) yielding liberation by constant absorption.

Application: Cultivate steady remembrance (japa, kīrtan, contemplation); transform negative fixation into conscious devotion; avoid despair over past faults—commit to sincere practice now.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated glorification of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa and nāma as destroyers of pāpa; bhakti as the sure path to liberation

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shishupala
• Suyodhana

FAQs

What is the importance of smarana (remembrance) in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even mere remembrance can shake off sins and lead to liberation, highlighting smarana as a powerful devotional practice.

How does this verse explain liberation even for sinners?

By citing Śiśupāla and Suyodhana, it teaches that contact with the Divine—here framed as remembrance—can burn away sin and culminate in moksha.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily remembrance of Vishnu (japa, nāma-smaraṇa, prayer); it builds devotion and directs life away from harmful actions and fear-based religiosity.