Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

वद / श्रीकृष्ण उवाच / भो श्रीनिवास तव नामैव चैतन्नाम स्वामी ननु नामैव स्वामी / यां ब्रह्माद्या आश्रयन्तीत्ति यस्मात्तस्माद्रमा श्रीरिति नाम चाप

Transliteration

vada / śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca / bho śrīnivāsa tava nāmaiva caitannāma svāmī nanu nāmaiva svāmī / yāṃ brahmādyā āśrayantītti yasmāttasmādramā śrīriti nāma cāpa

Translation

ஸ்ரீகிருஷ்ணன் கூறினார்—“சொல், ஓ ஸ்ரீநிவாசா! இதுவே உன் நாமம்—‘ஸ்வாமி’; உண்மையில் ‘ஸ்வாமி’ என்பதே உன் பெயர். பிரம்மா முதலிய தேவர்கள் யாரைச் சரணடைகிறார்களோ, அதனால் அவள் ‘ரமா’ எனவும், ‘ஸ்ரீ’ எனவும் அழைக்கப்படுகிறாள்.”

Word by Word

• vada: speak
• vada: Preraka (प्रेरक/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• śrīkṛṣṇaḥ: Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• śrīkṛṣṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī + kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारय: śrīmān kṛṣṇaḥ

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• bho: O!
• bho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bho (अव्यय)
• Form: Vocative particle (सम्बोधन-निपात)

• śrīnivāsa: O Śrīnivāsa
• śrīnivāsa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīnivāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• nāma: name
• nāma: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता/subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• nāma: name
• nāma: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• svāmī: lord / master
• svāmī: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय/समासार्थ-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• nanu: surely / indeed
• nanu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nanu (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative/emphatic particle (निपात)

• nāma: name
• nāma: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• svāmī: the lord
• svāmī: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yām: whom
• yām: Karma (कर्म/object of āśrayanti)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• brahma-ādyāḥ: Brahmā and others
• brahma-ādyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; तत्पुरुष: brahmā ādiḥ yeṣām te (brahmādayaḥ)

• āśrayanti: take refuge in / resort to
• āśrayanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√śri (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Plural, Parasmaipada

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• yasmāt: because of which / from which
• yasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun, Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu-phala (हेतु-फल/therefore)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun, Masculine/Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• ramā: Ramā (Lakṣmī)
• ramā: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ramā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• śrīḥ: Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• śrīḥ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle

• nāma: the name (is)
• nāma: Pratijñā/Name-label (संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

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

• āpa: obtained / came to be called
• āpa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्) / simple past usage, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Names reveal tattva: the Lord is ‘Svāmī’; Śrī/Ramā is the refuge even of Brahmā and other devas, hence her revered appellations.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa as pointers to īśvara-śakti (Śrī as divine power/auspiciousness) and śaraṇāgati as the deva-path.

Application: Contemplate the meanings of divine names during japa; cultivate śaraṇāgati by remembering that even the highest beings rely on Śrī’s grace and the Lord’s lordship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.49 (Śrīnivāsa explained via Ramā-āśraya)

Characters & Entities

• Śrīnivāsa (Viṣṇu)
• Brahmā
• Ramā (Lakṣmī)
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)

FAQs

What is the importance of the names Śrīnivāsa and Svāmī in Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the divine names as revelatory: Śrīnivāsa is affirmed as the true “Svāmī” (Lord), emphasizing Viṣṇu’s lordship and his inseparable connection with Śrī (Lakṣmī).

Why is Lakṣmī called Ramā and Śrī in this verse?

Because even Brahmā and other devas take refuge in her; thus, by her role as the refuge and embodiment of auspiciousness, she is known as Ramā and Śrī.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) through daily remembrance of Viṣṇu as Svāmī and honoring Śrī/Lakṣmī as auspiciousness—supporting ethical living, gratitude, and steadiness in prosperity.