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
Gadis itu berkata: “Katakanlah kepadaku—mengapakah Śrīnivāsa datang ke sini? Dan di manakah Śeṣācala berada dahulu, serta bilakah sang pemusnah dosa itu tiba? Juga, atas sebab apakah Svāmipuṣkariṇī hadir di sini? Beritahulah aku.”
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.