Shloka 25

Bhakti-māhātmya: The Marks of the Vaiṣṇava and the Liberating Power of Exclusive Devotion

Devanagari script

स्वपुरुषमभिवीक्ष्य पाशहस्तं वदति यमः किल तस्य कर्णमूले / परिहर मधुसूदनप्रापन्नन्प्रभुरहमन्यनृणां न वैष्णवानाम्

Transliteration

svapuruṣamabhivīkṣya pāśahastaṃ vadati yamaḥ kila tasya karṇamūle / parihara madhusūdanaprāpannanprabhurahamanyanṛṇāṃ na vaiṣṇavānām

Translation

పాశం పట్టిన తన దూతను చూసి యముడు అతని చెవిలో ఇలా అంటాడని చెబుతారు—“విడిచిపెట్టు; ఇతడు మధుసూదనుని శరణు పొందాడు. నేను ఇతర మనుష్యుల ప్రభువు, వైష్ణవులది కాదు.”

Word by Word

• स्वपुरुषम्: his own servant/attendant
• स्वपुरुषम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (svaḥ puruṣaḥ) (acc. sg.)

• अभिवीक्ष्य: having looked at
• अभिवीक्ष्य: Sambandha (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभि + वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'having looked at'

• पाशहस्तम्: having a noose in (his) hand
• पाशहस्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (पाशः हस्ते यस्य) (acc. sg.)

• वदति: says
• वदति: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: report/indeed)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कर्णमूले: at the root of the ear
• कर्णमूले: Adhikaraṇa (Locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (karṇasya mūlam) (loc. sg.)

• परिहर: avoid, leave aside
• परिहर: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + हृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मधुसूदनप्रापन्नम्: one who has taken refuge in Madhusūdana
• मधुसूदनप्रापन्नम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पद्/√पन् with प्र-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (madhusūdanam prapannaḥ) (acc. sg.)

• प्रभुः: lord, master
• प्रभुः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अन्यनृणाम्: of other men
• अन्यनृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (anyānāṃ nṛṇām) (gen. pl.)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• वैष्णवानाम्: of Vaiṣṇavas
• वैष्णवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (genitive plural)

Speaker

Yama

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sharanagati to Madhusudana grants protection even at Yama’s threshold; divine allegiance supersedes karmic enforcement for the surrendered devotee.

Vedantic Theme: Grace and surrender (prapatti) as overriding refuge; the Lord’s sovereignty transcends the domain of death; bhakti redefines destiny.

Application: Practice prapatti: daily verbal surrender, remembrance at crisis, and ethical living aligned with Vishnu; cultivate fearlessness by anchoring identity as ‘belonging to Narayana’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: divine court

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: dialogues involving Yama and the fate of souls; Vaishnava protection motif (broad internal theme); Garuda Purana: Vishnu-nama/bhakti as liberating (cf. 1.227.21–24)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas (Yama's attendants)
• Madhusudana (Vishnu)
• Vaishnavas

FAQs

What is the importance of taking refuge in Madhusūdana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that one who has surrendered to Vishnu (Madhusūdana) is not under Yama’s jurisdiction, indicating bhakti and śaraṇāgati as a decisive spiritual protection at death.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It implies that the normal post-death process involving Yama’s messengers and the noose applies to “other men,” while a Vaiṣṇava devotee is released from that capture and is not processed through Yama’s authority in the same way.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady Vishnu-bhakti (remembrance, nāma-japa, devotion, ethical living aligned with dharma), so that one’s life-orientation is genuine surrender rather than fear-driven ritual at the last moment.