Shloka 29

Dāna-vrata and the Tīrtha Circuit of Venkaṭādri

Snāna, Mantra, Naivedya

Devanagari script

तत्र स्नात्वा महाभागा तदूर्ध्वं स्नापयेत्स्वयम् / विष्वसेनसरस्तत्र सर्वपापविनाशनम्

Transliteration

tatra snātvā mahābhāgā tadūrdhvaṃ snāpayetsvayam / viṣvasenasarastatra sarvapāpavināśanam

Translation

అక్కడ స్నానం చేసి, ఓ మహాభాగ్యవతీ, ఆపై పైకి వెళ్లి స్వయంగా స్నానవిధిని ఆచరించాలి. అక్కడ విష్వసేన అనే సరస్సు ఉంది; అది సమస్త పాపాలను నశింపజేస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having bathed’

• महाभागा: the very fortunate lady
• महाभागा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय; कर्तृपद (the fortunate lady)

• तत्: that/thereafter
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (qualifying ऊर्ध्वम्)

• ऊर्ध्वम्: afterwards/upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: upwards/after that)

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (someone)/should cause bathing
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) + विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should cause to bathe’

• स्वयम्: herself
• स्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (reflexive adverb: oneself)

• विष्वसेन-सरः: Viṣvaksena lake
• विष्वसेन-सरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्वसेन (प्रातिपदिक) + सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘विष्वसेनस्य सरः’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• सर्व-पाप-विनाशनम्: destroyer of all sins
• सर्व-पाप-विनाशनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative) ‘सर्वेषां पापानां विनाशनम्’; विशेषण (qualifying सरः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual bathing and prescribed observance (snāpana/ācamana-like self-rite) as means of pāpa-kṣaya when done with śraddhā.

Vedantic Theme: Karma as preparatory purification; the deeper aim is inner cleansing leading toward bhakti/jñāna.

Application: Use ritual acts as commitments to ethical renewal: after ‘purification’, adopt vows (truthfulness, non-harm, restraint) to make the rite meaningful.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: saras (lake) / tīrtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.27 (Viṣvasena-saras and subsequent pañcāyudha-tīrthas)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Viṣvasena-saras

FAQs

What is the importance of bathing at Viṣvasena-saras in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Viṣvasena-saras as a sacred lake whose bath is described as a means for sarva-pāpa-vināśana—removal of accumulated sins—supporting ritual purification in the Preta Kanda context.

How does this verse relate to the journey of the soul described in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda framework, purification acts like sacred bathing function as preparatory rites that reduce pāpa (demerit) and help the departed or the practitioner proceed with fewer obstacles in the post-death narrative of judgment and passage.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the teaching as a reminder to pair external cleanliness (ritual purity) with inner reform—truthfulness, restraint, and ethical living—so that purification is not merely symbolic but supported by conduct.