Shloka 9

Supremacy of Hari-Bhakti in Kali-yuga; Warnings on Sensual Attachment; Praise of Brāhmaṇas, Purāṇa-Listening, and Gaṅgā

Devanagari script

किं स्नानैर्विष्णुपादांबु मस्तके येन धार्यते । किं यज्ञेन हरेः पादपद्मं येन धृतं हृदि

Transliteration

kiṃ snānairviṣṇupādāṃbu mastake yena dhāryate | kiṃ yajñena hareḥ pādapadmaṃ yena dhṛtaṃ hṛdi

Translation

విష్ణుపాదోదకాన్ని శిరస్సుపై ధరించినవానికి స్నానాలెందుకు? హృదయంలో హరి పదపద్మాన్ని ధరించినవానికి యజ్ఞమెందుకు?

Word by Word

• किम्: what (use)?
• किम्: निपात/प्रश्न (Interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः — प्रश्नार्थक (‘what use?’)

• स्नानैः: by baths
• स्नानैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• विष्णु-पाद-अम्बु: water from Viṣṇu’s feet
• विष्णु-पाद-अम्बु: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘water of Viṣṇu’s feet’

• मस्तके: on the head
• मस्तके: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Locative singular

• येन: by which
• येन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — relative pronoun ‘by which/whereby’

• धार्यते: is held/worn
• धार्यते: क्रिया (Verb/action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्, कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘is borne/held’

• किम्: what (use)?
• किम्: निपात/प्रश्न (Interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः — प्रश्नार्थक (‘what use?’)

• यज्ञेन: by sacrifice
• यज्ञेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular

• पाद-पद्मम्: the lotus-feet
• पाद-पद्मम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — तत्पुरुष: ‘lotus (like) feet’/‘foot-lotus’; here object

• येन: by which
• येन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — ‘by which/whereby’

• धृतम्: held
• धृतम्: विधेय (Predicative state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘held’ (agreeing with पादपद्मम्)

• हृदि: in the heart
• हृदि: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Locative singular

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual speaker not provided in the input excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: स्नानैर्विष्णुपादांबु = स्नानैः + विष्णुपादाम्बु; विष्णुपादाम्बु = विष्णु + पाद + अम्बु; पादपद्मं = पाद + पद्मम्.

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Hari

FAQs

What is the main teaching of this verse?

It elevates inner devotion (holding Hari’s lotus-feet in the heart) and the sanctifying power of Viṣṇu’s foot-water over mere external ritual acts like bathing and sacrifice.

What does “Viṣṇu-pādāmbu” refer to in devotional practice?

It refers to sacred water associated with Viṣṇu’s feet—often understood as caraṇāmṛta—revered as purifying when honored (symbolically ‘borne on the head’).

What ethical or spiritual lesson does the verse suggest?

It suggests prioritizing sincere remembrance and heartfelt reverence for God over performative religiosity, implying that true sanctity comes from devotion and humility.