Shloka 98

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

Devanagari script

स्त्रीरूपेभ्यो नमनं कार्यमेव कन्ये मया पश्चिमस्थे दले च / गोपाख्यनारायणब्रह्मवायुविप्रादिकानां शेषरूद्रादिकानाम्

Transliteration

strīrūpebhyo namanaṃ kāryameva kanye mayā paścimasthe dale ca / gopākhyanārāyaṇabrahmavāyuviprādikānāṃ śeṣarūdrādikānām

Translation

“Wahai gadis, aku wajib mempersembahkan sembah sujud kepada kehadiran yang berwujud perempuan; dan juga kepada kelopak yang terletak di sebelah barat—kepada para dewa yang bermula dengan nama Gopa, juga Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Vāyu, para resi brāhmaṇa, serta mereka yang bermula dengan Śeṣa dan Rudra.”

Word by Word

• strī-rūpebhyaḥ: to the female forms
• strī-rūpebhyaḥ: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; ‘from/to the female-forms’ (here used with namanaṃ: ‘to’)

• namanam: bowing/salutation
• namanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namana (प्रातिपदिक; action-noun from √nam)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; verbal noun ‘bowing’

• kāryam: is to be done
• kāryam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; ‘to be done/necessary’

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• kanye: O maiden
• kanye: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr̥karaṇa (कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग/सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by me’

• paścima-sthe: in the western (situated)
• paścima-sthe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paścima (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; qualifying dale: ‘in the west-situated’

• dale: in the petal
• dale: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• gopākhya-nārāyaṇa-brahma-vāyu-vipra-ādikānām: of those beginning with (the) Gopa-named Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Vāyu, Vipra, etc.
• gopākhya-nārāyaṇa-brahma-vāyu-vipra-ādikānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopa (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक) + nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + vāyu (प्रातिपदिक) + vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those beginning with (the) Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Vāyu, Vipra, etc., called Gopa’

• śeṣa-rudra-ādikānām: of those beginning with Śeṣa and Rudra
• śeṣa-rudra-ādikānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of those beginning with Śeṣa and Rudra’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devotion expressed as systematic namaskāra to śakti-forms and to a Nārāyaṇa-centered retinue arranged by direction.

Vedantic Theme: Many names/forms as upādhis of one sustaining reality; harmonizing śakti and īśvara within worship.

Application: In padma-nyāsa, turn attention to the western petal; recite the names (Gopa-ākhyā, Nārāyaṇa, Brahmā, Vāyu, vipra/ṛṣi presences, Śeṣa, Rudra, etc.) and offer mental prostration.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mandala/lotus-seat (padma)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.97 (right petal); Garuda Purana 3.24.99 (Īśāna petal); Garuda Purana 3.24.100 (center)

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Brahma
• Vayu
• Shesha
• Rudra
• Vipras (Brahmanas)

FAQs

What is the importance of offering namana (salutations) in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse frames namaskāra as a required dharmic act—honoring divine presences (including feminine forms) and specific directional placements, indicating disciplined, reverent worship rather than casual devotion.

How does this verse relate to ritual structure (like lotus/petal placement) described in the Garuda Purana?

By mentioning the “western petal,” the verse implies a diagrammatic or lotus-based arrangement used in worship/nyāsa, where deities are invoked and honored according to fixed directions and assigned positions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain orderly, respectful worship: begin with salutations, include gratitude toward teachers/sages (vipras), and follow a consistent method (directional focus or prescribed sequence) to cultivate humility and steadiness in practice.