Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

सोपानदेशे यः पुराणं शृणोति तदा कृता सर्वतीर्थादियात्रा / तदा दिवा प्रस्तुवन्तीह मार्गे सदा हरिं श्रीनिवासं गुरुं च

Transliteration

sopānadeśe yaḥ purāṇaṃ śṛṇoti tadā kṛtā sarvatīrthādiyātrā / tadā divā prastuvantīha mārge sadā hariṃ śrīnivāsaṃ guruṃ ca

Translation

ਜੋ ਸੋਪਾਨ-ਥਾਂ ਤੇ ਪੁਰਾਣ ਸੁਣਦਾ ਹੈ, ਉਸ ਲਈ ਮਾਨੋ ਸਾਰੇ ਤੀਰਥਾਂ ਦੀ ਯਾਤਰਾ ਹੋ ਚੁੱਕੀ ਹੁੰਦੀ ਹੈ। ਉਹ ਇਸ ਲੋਕ ਦੇ ਰਾਹ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੀ ਦਿਨੇ ਸਦਾ ਹਰੀ—ਸ਼੍ਰੀਨਿਵਾਸ—ਅਤੇ ਗੁਰੂ ਦੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਤ ਗਾਂਦਾ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• sopāna-deśe: at the stairway-place
• sopāna-deśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sopāna (प्रातिपदिक) + deśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘at the place of the steps/stairway’

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun

• purāṇam: Purāṇa
• purāṇam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śṛṇoti: hears
• śṛṇoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल/temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• kṛtā: is accomplished/done
• kṛtā: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (प्रातिपदिक; past participle of kṛ)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with ‘yātrā’

• sarva-tīrtha-ādi-yātrā: the pilgrimage to all holy places etc.
• sarva-tīrtha-ādi-yātrā: Karta (कर्ता/subject of ‘kṛtā’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + yātrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘pilgrimage to all tīrthas etc.’

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• divā: by day
• divā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: divā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक) ‘by day/in daytime’

• prastuvanti: they praise
• prastuvanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु) with prefix pra-
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• iha: here
• iha: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• mārge: on the path
• mārge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (नित्यत्ववाचक)

• harim: Hari
• harim: Karma (कर्म/object of praise)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śrīnivāsam: Śrīnivāsa
• śrīnivāsam: Karma (कर्म/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + nivāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; in apposition to ‘harim’

• gurum: the guru
• gurum: Karma (कर्म/object of praise)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purana-śravaṇa at a sacred place yields tirtha-yātrā merit; continual praise of Hari and Guru sanctifies one’s worldly journey.

Vedantic Theme: Śravaṇa (hearing) as a purifier and bhakti-sādhana; Guru as conduit of dharma and devotion; sacredness internalized through remembrance.

Application: Attend Purana recitations; treat daily commute/travel as a ‘yātrā’ by chanting and remembering Hari and honoring one’s teacher.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha/temple-ghat

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: emphasis on śravaṇa/kīrtana of Vishnu as purifier and merit-giving; Garuda Purana: tirtha-mahātmyas where hearing/reciting grants pilgrimage fruit

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Shrinivasa
• Guru
• Tirthas

FAQs

What is the importance of Purāṇa-śravaṇa (listening to the Purāṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that hearing the Purāṇa in a sacred setting grants merit comparable to performing pilgrimages to all tīrthas, emphasizing śravaṇa-bhakti as a powerful dharmic practice.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or spiritual progress?

Rather than detailing afterlife geography here, the verse frames spiritual progress as devotion cultivated through listening—leading one to constant remembrance and praise of Hari and respect for the Guru, which are core supports for liberation-oriented living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Attend or host Purāṇa readings, listen with attention in a sacred or disciplined setting, and translate the practice into daily life through regular Hari-nāma/kīrtana and honoring one’s teacher and lineage.