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Shloka 3

Hymns to Nārāyaṇa: Humility, Bhakti, Yoga, and the Guṇas

Devanagari script

अथापरे भागवतप्रधाना यदा न जानीयुरथापरे कुतः / मां पाहि नित्यं परतोप्यधीश विश्वामित्रान्न्यून एवेति नित्यम् / अहं पर्जन्यार्द्विगुण एव नित्यमतो मम स्तवने नास्ति शक्तिः

Transliteration

athāpare bhāgavatapradhānā yadā na jānīyurathāpare kutaḥ / māṃ pāhi nityaṃ paratopyadhīśa viśvāmitrānnyūna eveti nityam / ahaṃ parjanyārdviguṇa eva nityamato mama stavane nāsti śaktiḥ

Translation

ഭഗവാന്റെ പ്രധാന ഭക്തന്മാർക്കുപോലും ഒരിക്കൽ നിങ്ങളെ അറിയാൻ കഴിയാതിരുന്നാൽ, മറ്റുള്ളവർ എങ്ങനെ അറിയും? പരാത്പര അധീശ്വരാ, എന്നെ നിത്യം രക്ഷിക്കണമേ; ഞാൻ വിശ്വാമിത്രനേക്കാൾ പോലും എപ്പോഴും ന്യുനൻ. മഴമേഘത്തിന്റെ സമൃദ്ധിക്കുമുന്നിൽ ഞാൻ അതിസ്വൽപ അംശം മാത്രം; അതുകൊണ്ട് നിങ്ങളെ യഥോചിതമായി സ്തുതിക്കാനുള്ള ശക്തി എനിക്കില്ല।

Word by Word
अथthen, now
अथ:
Discourse marker (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक-निपातः (then/now)
अपरेothers
अपरे:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘others’ (substantivized adjective)
भागवतप्रधानाḥchief devotees
भागवतप्रधानाḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootभागवत + प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (भागवताः प्रधानाः येषु/ये)
यदाwhen
यदा:
Temporal (काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदा (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; कालवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधकः (when)
नnot
न:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपातः
जानीयुःmight know
जानीयुः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootज्ञा (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्
अथthen
अथ:
Discourse marker (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; अनन्तरार्थक-निपातः
अपरेothers
अपरे:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्
कुतःhow (could they)?
कुतः:
Interrogative (प्रश्न)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकुतः (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; प्रश्नार्थक-निपातः (whence/how)
माम्me
माम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
पाहिprotect
पाहि:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपा (धातु)
Formलोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्
नित्यम्always
नित्यम्:
Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्यम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (always)
परतःfrom afar/otherwise
परतः:
Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरतः (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; अपि-सम्बद्धं ‘even from afar/otherwise’ (adverb)
अपिeven
अपि:
Modifier (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; अप्यर्थक-निपातः
अधीशO Lord
अधीश:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootअधीश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचनम्
विश्वामित्रात्than Viśvāmitra
विश्वामित्रात्:
Apadana (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootविश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
न्यूनःinferior, lesser
न्यूनः:
Predicate (विधेय)
TypeAdjective
Rootन्यून (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्
एवindeed
एव:
Modifier (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक-निपातः
इतिthus
इति:
Quotative marker (इति)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरणचिह्नः (quotative)
नित्यम्always
नित्यम्:
Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्यम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम्
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा, एकवचनम्
पर्जन्यात्than Parjanya
पर्जन्यात्:
Apadana (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootपर्जन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी, एकवचनम्
द्विगुणःtwofold
द्विगुणः:
Predicate (विधेय)
TypeAdjective
Rootद्वि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; द्विगु-समासः (द्वौ गुणौ यस्य/द्विगुणः)
एवindeed
एव:
Modifier (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक-निपातः
नित्यम्always
नित्यम्:
Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्यम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम्
अतःtherefore
अतः:
Hetu (हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअतः (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थक-निपातः (therefore)
ममmy
मम:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
स्तवनेin praising (in my hymn)
स्तवने:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootस्तवन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्
नnot
न:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपातः
अस्तिis
अस्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्
शक्तिःability, power
शक्तिः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्
Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), speaking to Lord Vishnu (Bhagavan)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even foremost bhāgavatas may or may not fully comprehend the Lord; therefore the aspirant seeks divine protection and offers praise with humility, acknowledging personal limitation.

Vedantic Theme: Acintya/atarkya nature of Bhagavān; gradations of adhikāra (spiritual capacity); dependence on grace (anugraha) over self-powered attainment.

Application: Avoid spiritual pride; seek steadiness in devotion, prayer for protection, and consistent remembrance even when one feels unqualified.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: bhakti sections emphasizing anugraha (grace) and the devotee’s humility (general thematic parallel)

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda
V
Vishvamitra

FAQs

This verse models bhakti through humility: even the speaker admits inability to fully know or praise the Supreme, turning instead to continual refuge and protection in Bhagavān.

Indirectly, it emphasizes surrender to the Supreme Lord as the foundation for spiritual progress; understanding and liberation are not merely intellectual but depend on grace and devotion.

Maintain regular prayer with humility—acknowledge limits, avoid spiritual pride, and cultivate steady devotion and ethical living as an offering to the Divine.

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