Shloka 40

Jāmbavatī’s Vaiṣṇava-Ācāra: Grace, Sense-Consecration, and Pilgrimage to Śrīnivāsa on Veṅkaṭādri

Devanagari script

इत्थं मार्गे चिन्तयन्ती च देवी शेषाचले शेषदेवं ददर्श / फणैः सहस्रैः सुविराजमानं नानाद्रुमैर्वानरैर्वानरीभिः

Transliteration

itthaṃ mārge cintayantī ca devī śeṣācale śeṣadevaṃ dadarśa / phaṇaiḥ sahasraiḥ suvirājamānaṃ nānādrumairvānarairvānarībhiḥ

Translation

Demikianlah, ketika Dewi merenung di sepanjang jalan, baginda melihat Śeṣadeva di Śeṣācala—bersinar gemilang dengan seribu tudung ular—di tengah pelbagai pepohon, dikelilingi kera dan kera betina.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb: ‘thus’)

• मार्गे: on the path
• मार्गे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन

• चिन्तयन्ती: thinking
• चिन्तयन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cintay (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), परस्मैपद-प्रयोग; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘thinking’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative/1st), एकवचन

• शेषाचले: on Śeṣācala (the Śeṣa-mountain)
• शेषाचले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣācala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः: शेष + अचल (तत्पुरुष)

• शेषदेवम्: Śeṣa-deva
• शेषदेवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣadeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः: शेषः देवः (कर्मधारय)

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• फणैः: with hoods (snake-hoods)
• फणैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• सहस्रैः: by thousands of
• सहस्रैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (used adjectivally), तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक (numeral)

• सुविराजमानम्: shining splendidly
• सुविराजमानम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-rāj (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शानच्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्गः सु- (intensifier)

• नाना: various
• नाना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-विशेषण (indeclinable adjective: ‘various’)

• द्रुमैः: with trees
• द्रुमैः: Sahakāraka (सह/सहचर)
• Type: Noun
• Root: druma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वानरैः: with monkeys
• वानरैः: Sahakāraka (सह/सहचर)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वानरीभिः: with female monkeys
• वानरीभिः: Sahakāraka (सह/सहचर)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration within Garuda Purana; not direct Vishnu–Garuda dialogue in this verse)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Darśana of the deity in a tīrtha transforms the pilgrim’s inner state; the sacred landscape is not merely scenery but a theophany.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sākṣātkāra through upāsanā; the Lord as adhiṣṭhāna (support) manifest in name-form for devotion.

Application: Approach pilgrimage with mindful recollection (smaraṇa) so that darśana becomes contemplative rather than touristic; treat the kṣetra as a temple—observe silence, purity, and reverence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred mountain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (tīrtha-māhātmya style passages on kṣetra-darśana and merit); Garuda Purana (Vaiṣṇava worship norms: facing the deity, proper praṇāma)

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Sheshadeva (Ananta/Shesha)
• Sheshachala
• Vanaras

FAQs

What is the importance of Śeṣadeva (Ananta) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Śeṣadeva as a radiant cosmic presence—symbolizing stability and support—encountered through darśana on Śeṣācala, emphasizing the sanctity of divine geography and vision.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or after-death journey?

It does not directly describe the preta-path or Yama’s realm; instead, it presents a devotional travel-vision (darśana) motif—showing contemplation on the path culminating in a divine encounter.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate mindful remembrance during journeys (physical or spiritual): sustained reflection (cintā) and reverence for sacred spaces can orient one toward clarity, devotion, and steadiness in conduct.