Shloka 23

Śālagrāma-lakṣaṇa: Viṣṇu Stotra, Vyūha/Avatāra Identification, and Temple-Fruition

Devanagari script

पृथुच्छिद्रः स्थूलचक्रः(कृष्णो) (विष्णुश्च) बिल्ववत् / (हयग्रीवो) ऽङ्कुशाकारः पञ्चरेखः सकौस्तुभः

Transliteration

pṛthucchidraḥ sthūlacakraḥ(kṛṣṇo) (viṣṇuśca) bilvavat / (hayagrīvo) 'ṅkuśākāraḥ pañcarekhaḥ sakaustubhaḥ

Translation

చక్రం విశాల రంధ్రంతో, మందమైన అంచుతో ఉంటుంది; కృష్ణుడు మరియు విష్ణువు బిల్వఫలంలా చిహ్నితులు. హయగ్రీవుని చిహ్నం అంకుశాకారము, ఐదు రేఖలతో, కౌస్తుభమణితో కూడినది.

Word by Word

• पृथुच्छिद्रः: having a broad hole/opening
• पृथुच्छिद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथुच्छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक; पृथु + छिद्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्थूलचक्रः: having a large disc/wheel
• स्थूलचक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूलचक्र (प्रातिपदिक; स्थूल + चक्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• बिल्ववत्: bilva-like / having bilva (mark)
• बिल्ववत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिल्ववत् (प्रातिपदिक; बिल्व + वत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (possessing/like bilva)

• हयग्रीवः: Hayagrīva
• हयग्रीवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हयग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक; हय + ग्रीव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• अङ्कुशाकारः: hook-shaped
• अङ्कुशाकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अङ्कुशाकार (प्रातिपदिक; अङ्कुश + आकार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पञ्चरेखः: having five lines
• पञ्चरेखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चरेख (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + रेख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सकौस्तुभः: with the Kaustubha (gem)
• सकौस्तुभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकौस्तुभ (प्रातिपदिक; स + कौस्तुभ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Liṅga-darśana: recognizing the Lord through auspicious marks and emblems; devotion supported by careful observation and remembrance.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna symbols as gateways to nirguṇa contemplation—form as a pedagogical aid (upāya).

Application: For devotees handling śālagrāma or visualizing Vishnu: learn emblem-features (cakra, bilva-like mark, aṅkuśa-like mark) to anchor daily pūjā and japa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.45 (series on marks and protective identifications; culminates in Śālagrāma/Dvārakā salutation)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Krishna
• Hayagriva
• Kaustubha

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu’s identifying marks in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves traditional iconographic identifiers—chakra features and distinctive shapes/lines—used to recognize Vishnu’s forms (Krishna, Hayagriva) and their auspicious emblems like Kaustubha.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it provides devotional-identification details of Vishnu’s forms, which in the broader Garuda Purana context supports remembrance of Vishnu as a liberating refuge.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the verse for focused Vishnu-smaraṇa (remembrance): contemplate Vishnu’s emblems (chakra, Kaustubha) and forms (Krishna, Hayagriva) as aids to steady devotion and ethical living aligned with dharma.