Shloka 68

Veṅkaṭeśa-Māhātmya: Varāha Prelude, Descent of Śeṣācala, Svāmipuṣkariṇī and the Network of Tīrthas

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

तत्र स्नात्वा वामनस्य स्वरूपश्रवणाद्विदुर्दानफलं समं च / दशहस्तप्रमाणं तु चन्द्रतीर्थमुदाहृतम्

Transliteration

tatra snātvā vāmanasya svarūpaśravaṇādvidurdānaphalaṃ samaṃ ca / daśahastapramāṇaṃ tu candratīrthamudāhṛtam

Translation

അവിടെ സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത് വാമനന്റെ ദിവ്യസ്വരൂപം ശ്രവിച്ചതാൽ, ദാനഫലത്തോട് തുല്യമായ പുണ്യം ലഭിക്കുന്നു എന്ന് പണ്ഡിതർ പറയുന്നു. ആ തീർത്ഥം ‘ചന്ദ്രതീർത്ഥം’ എന്നു വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; അതിന്റെ അളവ് പത്ത് ഹസ്തമെന്ന് പ്രസിദ്ധം.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having bathed’

• वामनस्य: of Vāmana
• वामनस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• स्वरूप-श्रवणात्: from hearing (about) the true form
• स्वरूप-श्रवणात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; समासः स्वरूपस्य श्रवणम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; अपादान (cause/source)

• विदुः: they know
• विदुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• दान-फलम्: fruit of donation
• दान-फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः दानस्य फलम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• समम्: equal
• समम्: Karma-pravacaniya/Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘equal/same’

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

• दश-हस्त-प्रमाणम्: measuring ten hands
• दश-हस्त-प्रमाणम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः—‘दश हस्ताः प्रमाणम् यस्य’ (measure of ten hands)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध-बोधकः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• चन्द्र-तीर्थम्: Candra-tīrtha
• चन्द्र-तीर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• उदाहृतम्: is declared
• उदाहृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्+आ+हृ (धातु) → उदाहृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भावः—‘is declared/said’

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tirtha-snana combined with hearing about Vamana’s form yields merit equal to charitable giving; śravaṇa is elevated as a merit-producing act.

Vedantic Theme: Purification of mind through śravaṇa; karma-yoga orientation where acts and hearing are offered as sacred disciplines leading toward sattva and devotion.

Application: When visiting sacred places, combine physical purification (snana) with scriptural listening/discourse; treat learning as a spiritual practice, not merely information.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (sacred ford)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.26.67 (rarity of hearing at Candratirtha); Garuda Purana 3.26.69 (midday bathing; continued Hari-bhajana)

Characters & Entities

• Vamana
• Candra-tirtha

FAQs

What is the importance of Candra-tīrtha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that bathing at Candra-tīrtha, together with hearing about Vāmana’s divine form, yields merit considered equal to the fruit of charitable donations.

How does this verse connect ritual bathing with spiritual merit?

It links tīrtha-snāna (bathing at a sacred ford) and śravaṇa (devotional hearing) to punya, explicitly equating their result with dāna-phala, the merit traditionally gained through giving.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Combine outward practice (pilgrimage/bathing or other purifying observances) with inner practice (listening to and reflecting on divine qualities), and support it with charity—treating all three as complementary paths to merit.