Shloka 44

Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya: Bhakti-Lakṣaṇa, Nārasiṁha-tīrtha, and the Secret Darśana-Vidhi of Śrīnivāsa

मोहाद्यो वै पूजयेद्देवदेवं महाधर्माद्याति चान्धं तमो वै / ब्रह्मादिनामानि हरेर्हि देवीं विष्णोः स्वनामानि ददौ दिवौकसाम्

mohādyo vai pūjayeddevadevaṃ mahādharmādyāti cāndhaṃ tamo vai / brahmādināmāni harerhi devīṃ viṣṇoḥ svanāmāni dadau divaukasām

Sesiapa yang kerana delusi dan seumpamanya tidak memuja Dewa segala dewa akan tersasar daripada Dharma yang agung lalu jatuh ke dalam kegelapan yang membuta. Sesungguhnya, Sang Dewi telah menganugerahkan kepada Brahmā dan para dewa lain nama-nama ilahi mereka; dan kepada Viṣṇu, Baginda menganugerahkan nama-nama-Nya sendiri yang dengannya Dia dipuji.

मोहात्from delusion
मोहात्:
अपादान (Source/cause)
TypeNoun
Rootमोह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन
यःwho
यः:
कर्ता
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
वैindeed
वै:
निपात
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात
पूजयेत्should worship
पूजयेत्:
क्रिया (Action)
TypeVerb
Root√पूज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
देवदेवम्the God of gods
देवदेवम्:
कर्म (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव-देव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
महाधर्मात्from great dharma
महाधर्मात्:
अपादान (Source)
TypeNoun
Rootमहाधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन
यातिgoes, falls
याति:
क्रिया
TypeVerb
Root√या (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
and
:
समुच्चय
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक
अन्धम्blind
अन्धम्:
कर्म (Object complement)
TypeAdjective
Rootअन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तमः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण
तमःdarkness
तमः:
कर्म (Destination as object)
TypeNoun
Rootतमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (लट्-क्रियायाः गत्यर्थे कर्म)
वैindeed
वै:
निपात
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात
ब्रह्म-आदि-नामानिnames such as Brahmā etc.
ब्रह्म-आदि-नामानि:
कर्म (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘ब्रह्म-आदि’ इति तत्पुरुष, ततः ‘(ब्रह्मादीनि) नामानि’ इति सम्बन्ध
हरेःof Hari
हरेः:
सम्बन्ध
TypeNoun
Rootहरि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
हिindeed, for
हि:
निपात
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (reason/emphasis)
देवीम्to the goddess
देवीम्:
कर्म (Recipient as object)
TypeNoun
Rootदेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
विष्णोःof Vishnu
विष्णोः:
सम्बन्ध
TypeNoun
Rootविष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
स्व-नामानिhis own names
स्व-नामानि:
कर्म (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘स्व’ = own
ददौgave
ददौ:
क्रिया
TypeVerb
Root√दा (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
दिवौकसाम्of the gods (heaven-dwellers)
दिवौकसाम्:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootदिव्-ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘दिवि ओकः येषाम्’ (heaven-dwellers)

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Concept: Neglect of worship due to moha leads to deviation from mahā-dharma and entry into tamas; divine names (nāma) are bestowed and carry revelatory power for praise and remembrance.

Vedantic Theme: Moha/tamas as bondage; śabda (nāma) as a means of īśvara-smaraṇa and purification; movement from avidyā to light through devotion.

Application: Counter delusion with regular nāma-japa and satsanga; treat worship as a stabilizing dharmic anchor; use sacred names as daily antidote to tamas.

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.42-43 (necessity/constancy of worship); Garuda Purana 3.24.46 (Govinda-Nārāyaṇa-Mādhava nāma-kīrtana)

V
Vishnu
H
Hari
D
Devi
B
Brahma
D
Devas (Divaukas)

FAQs

This verse states that worship of the supreme Lord (Devadeva) is aligned with mahā-dharma; neglecting it due to delusion leads to a fall into 'blind darkness'—a metaphor for spiritual ignorance and decline.

It frames the soul’s direction as determined by clarity versus delusion: devotion and right orientation toward the Supreme support dharma, while moha causes a descent into inner darkness, which in Garuda Purana contexts is tied to unfavorable post-death outcomes.

Reduce moha (confusion, ego-driven neglect) by regular remembrance and worship—especially nāma-japa (recitation of divine names)—and by choosing dharmic actions that keep the mind clear and accountable.