Shloka 5
Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya: Bhakti-Lakṣaṇa, Nārasiṁha-tīrtha, and the Secret Darśana-Vidhi of Śrīnivāsa
सोपानानां वीन्द्र चारोहणेन त्ववैष्णवानां हरितोषो न चैव / तेनैव तेषां साधनं भूय एव तमस्यन्धे पातयितुं खगेन्द्र
sopānānāṃ vīndra cārohaṇena tvavaiṣṇavānāṃ haritoṣo na caiva / tenaiva teṣāṃ sādhanaṃ bhūya eva tamasyandhe pātayituṃ khagendra
Wahai Khagendra (Garuda), sekalipun dengan menaiki ‘anak tangga’ amalan atau upacara, mereka yang bukan Vaiṣṇava tidak benar-benar menyenangkan Hari. Bahkan, amalan itulah menjadi sarana yang kian menjerumuskan mereka ke dalam kegelapan buta—ke dalam delusi dan kejatuhan.
Lord Vishnu
Concept: Ritual or spiritual ‘ascent’ devoid of genuine Vaiṣṇava devotion does not please Hari; wrong orientation converts practice into further bondage and delusion.
Vedantic Theme: Avidyā/tamas corrupts action; intention and right understanding (samyag-dṛṣṭi) are essential; mere karma without bhakti/knowledge can bind.
Application: Audit motives and worldview; align practice with devotion, humility, and ethical transformation; avoid sectarian pride and hollow ritualism.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: ritual/temple approach (metaphoric)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: critiques of empty ritual and emphasis on Vishnu-bhakti as the purifier; Garuda Purana: tamas/moha as causes of downfall when dharma is misapplied
FAQs
This verse frames Hari-toṣa (pleasing Viṣṇu) as the decisive criterion: practices lacking genuine Viṣṇu-bhakti may fail to yield spiritual uplift and can even deepen delusion.
It suggests that merely ‘climbing steps’ of religious practice, when disconnected from Hari-centered devotion, can become a cause of tamas—spiritual blindness—leading to moral and spiritual decline.
Prioritize sincerity, humility, and devotion in any sādhana; avoid using rituals for pride or social display, and align practice with ethical living and remembrance of Hari.