Shloka 1
Veṅkaṭeśa-Māhātmya: Varāha Prelude, Descent of Śeṣācala, Svāmipuṣkariṇī and the Network of Tīrthas
with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas
नाम पञ्चविंशोध्यायः कन्योवाच / श्रीनिवासः किमर्थं वै आगतोत्र वदस्व मे / शेषाचलोपि कुत्रा भूत्कदायातश्च पापहा / स्वामिपुष्करिणी चात्र किमर्थं ह्यगता वद
nāma pañcaviṃśodhyāyaḥ kanyovāca / śrīnivāsaḥ kimarthaṃ vai āgatotra vadasva me / śeṣācalopi kutrā bhūtkadāyātaśca pāpahā / svāmipuṣkariṇī cātra kimarthaṃ hyagatā vada
कन्या म्हणाली—मला सांगा, श्रीनिवास येथे कोणत्या कारणाने आले आहेत? आणि शेषाचल पूर्वी कुठे होता, व तो पापहारी कधी येथे आला? तसेच स्वामिपुष्करिणी येथे कशासाठी आली—तेही सांगा।
Kanyā (the maiden)
Concept: Divine presence is approached through inquiry into avatāra/āgama and tīrtha-māhātmya; sacred places and their origins kindle devotion.
Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha mediated through nāma, kṣetra, and līlā; the Lord’s accessibility (saulabhya) in a localized form.
Application: Cultivate śraddhā by learning the sthala-purāṇa of one’s chosen deity and visiting/remembering tīrthas with reverence.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: sacred mountain and temple tank (tīrtha)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.26.2 (phalaśruti of hearing Veṅkaṭeśa’s account); Garuda Purana 3.26.3–5 (Hiraṇyākṣa narrative as background)
FAQs
This verse frames a sacred-history inquiry: it introduces Śrīnivāsa’s arrival and Śeṣācala’s prior state, signaling a forthcoming explanation of the tīrtha’s origin and sanctity.
While much of the Garuda Purana addresses dharma, karma, and post-death rites, it also preserves tīrtha-māhātmya narratives; here the dialogue sets up a theological account of a holy place connected with sin-destruction (pāpahā).
It encourages inquiry into the meaning of sacred places and practices—approaching pilgrimage, temple worship, and ritual bathing with understanding rather than mere habit.