Shloka 25
Praise of Devotion to Viṣṇu
The Supremacy of Hari’s Name over All Tīrthas
कृत्वापि पातकं घोरं कृष्णनाम्ना विमुच्यते । स्वयं नारायणो देवः स्वनाम्नि जगतां गुरुः
kṛtvāpi pātakaṃ ghoraṃ kṛṣṇanāmnā vimucyate | svayaṃ nārāyaṇo devaḥ svanāmni jagatāṃ guruḥ
ഭീകരപാപം ചെയ്താലും കൃഷ്ണനാമം കൊണ്ടു മോചനം ലഭിക്കുന്നു. കാരണം സ്വയം നാരായണദേവൻ തന്റെ നാമം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ ലോകങ്ങളുടെ ഗുരുവാകുന്നു.
Unspecified (narrative voice within Svarga-khaṇḍa context)
Concept: Kṛṣṇa-nāma releases even from dreadful sin; Nārāyaṇa is the world-teacher through His own Name—nāma is both means and revelation.
Application: Adopt daily japa/kīrtana; when guilt or relapse arises, return to sincere nāma with repentance and ethical correction rather than despair.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A penitent devotee sits before a small lamp and a tulasī pot, chanting ‘Kṛṣṇa’ as luminous syllables rise like golden lotuses. Behind, a stormy mural of past sins dissolves into clear sky where Nārāyaṇa appears as Jagad-guru, blessing the devotee with a gesture that turns darkness into calm.","primary_figures":["Nārāyaṇa (Jagad-guru aspect)","a chanting devotee","optional: sages as witnesses"],"setting":"Simple shrine room with tulasī planter, śālagrāma on a pedestal, and a manuscript stand; the background morphs from storm to serenity.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["lamp-gold","midnight blue","lotus pink","pearl white","emerald green"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Nārāyaṇa as Jagad-guru seated on a lotus throne with gold leaf halo, conch and discus; below, a devotee with japa-mālā near tulasī and śālagrāma; embossed golden syllables ‘कृ’ ‘ष्ण’ floating upward as lotus forms; rich reds/greens, ornate arch, gem-studded ornaments.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate interior scene with delicate brushwork—devotee chanting by an oil lamp, tulasī leaves finely detailed; in the upper corner, a soft apparition of Nārāyaṇa blessing; cool blues with warm lamp highlights, refined facial expressions of repentance turning to peace.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: symmetrical shrine composition, bold outlines; Nārāyaṇa in the upper register as guru, devotee in the lower register with mālā; stylized script-like golden nāma motifs swirling; red/yellow/green palette with temple-wall texture.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Kṛṣṇa/Nārāyaṇa surrounded by lotus and tulasī borders; repeated nāma motifs integrated into floral patterns; devotee figures at the bottom in kīrtana posture, peacocks and cows in margins; deep blues and gold with intricate Nathdwara-style ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft kartal (hand cymbals)","temple bells distant","gentle silence after each line"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: कृत्वापि = कृत्वा + अपि; कृष्णनाम्ना = कृष्ण + नाम्ना (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); विमुच्यते = वि + मुच्यते; स्वनाम्नि = स्व + नाम्नि.
FAQs
Yes. It explicitly states that even after a “ghora pātaka” (dreadful sin), one is “vimucyate” (freed) through Kṛṣṇa’s name, presenting nāma as a powerful means of purification and liberation.
It implies that the divine name is not merely a label but a living source of guidance and grace—Nārāyaṇa instructs and uplifts beings through remembrance and recitation of His name.
It encourages repentance and transformation: rather than despair after wrongdoing, one should turn toward sincere devotion and disciplined remembrance (nāma-japa), while also implying responsibility to abandon harmful actions.