Shloka 11

Nāma-mahātmya: Liberation through Salutation, Chanting, and the Mantra “Namo Nārāyaṇāya”

Devanagari script

व्यासाद्या मुनयः सर्वे स्तुवन्तो मधुसूदनम् / मतिक्षयान्निवर्तन्ते न गोविन्दगुणक्षयात्

Transliteration

vyāsādyā munayaḥ sarve stuvanto madhusūdanam / matikṣayānnivartante na govindaguṇakṣayāt

Translation

వ్యాసాది మునులందరూ మధుసూదనుని స్తుతిస్తూ, తమ మతి క్షీణించినందువల్లనే ఆగుతారు; గోవిందుని గుణాలు తరిగినందుకాదు।

Word by Word

• व्यासाद्याः: (sages) beginning with Vyāsa
• व्यासाद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'व्यासः आदिः येषाम्' (beginning with Vyāsa)

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• स्तुवन्तः: praising
• स्तुवन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तुवत् (कृदन्त; √स्तु धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त — 'praising'

• मधुसूदनम्: Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu)
• मधुसूदनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु + सूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'मधोः सूदनः' (slayer of Madhu)

• मतिक्षयात्: from exhaustion of understanding
• मतिक्षयात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'मतेः क्षयः' (exhaustion of intellect)

• निवर्तन्ते: they desist/stop
• निवर्तन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृत् (धातु) + नि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; अर्थः: 'cease/turn back'

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (not)

• गोविन्दगुणक्षयात्: from any exhaustion of Govinda's qualities
• गोविन्दगुणक्षयात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द + गुण + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला: 'गोविन्दस्य गुणानां क्षयः' (diminution of Govinda's qualities)

Speaker

Narrator/Sūta-like Purāṇic voice (praise of Lord Vishnu within the Garuḍa Purāṇa discourse)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Govinda-guṇāḥ are inexhaustible; cessation of praise occurs due to the finite intellect (mati-kṣaya), not due to any end in the Lord’s qualities.

Vedantic Theme: Finite mind vs. infinite Brahman/Īśvara; bhakti continues beyond conceptual limits; śabda as approach yet never total capture.

Application: When devotion feels ‘dry’ or words run out, interpret it as mental fatigue; rest and return to nāma/kīrtana rather than concluding the divine is ‘known enough’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: stuti traditions and emphasis on nāma/kīrtana as inexhaustible merit (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa
• Munis
• Madhusudana
• Govinda

FAQs

What is the importance of praising Govinda (Vishnu) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that Vishnu’s virtues are limitless; praise (stuti) purifies the mind, but the stopping point is the devotee’s limited capacity—not any limit in the Divine.

How does this verse explain the seeker’s limitation versus God’s infinitude?

It contrasts matikṣaya (the finite reach of intellect and speech) with Govinda’s guṇas (qualities), which are described as inexhaustible, affirming God’s boundless nature.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Continue devotional practice with humility: progress may feel capped by attention or understanding, but steadiness in remembrance and praise is encouraged because the ideal is inexhaustible.