Shloka 39

Veṅkaṭācala Māhātmya: Bhakti-Lakṣaṇa, Nārasiṁha-tīrtha, and the Secret Darśana-Vidhi of Śrīnivāsa

Devanagari script

अभिप्रायं तत्र वक्ष्ये शृणु त्वं तत्र स्थले वस्त्रगन्धादिधूपैः / पुराणोक्ता अपि भेदेन पूज्या दृष्ट्वा च तान्वन्दयेत्प्राज्ञ एव

Transliteration

abhiprāyaṃ tatra vakṣye śṛṇu tvaṃ tatra sthale vastragandhādidhūpaiḥ / purāṇoktā api bhedena pūjyā dṛṣṭvā ca tānvandayetprājña eva

Translation

เราจักอธิบายเจตนาความหมาย ณ ที่นั้น—จงฟังเถิด ในสถานศักดิ์สิทธิ์นั้น พึงบูชาด้วยผ้า เครื่องหอม และธูปเป็นต้น ตามความแตกต่างที่กล่าวไว้ในปุราณะ และเมื่อได้เห็นท่านเหล่านั้น ผู้มีปัญญาพึงนอบน้อมคำนับโดยแท้

Word by Word

• abhiprāyam: intention/purport
• abhiprāyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhiprāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• tatra: there/in that matter
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place

• vakṣye: I will explain
• vakṣye: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (लुट्/Periphrastic future; ‘will say’), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्/Imperative), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place

• sthale: in the place
• sthale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• vastra-gandha-ādi-dhūpaiḥ: with incense/offerings like cloth and perfumes
• vastra-gandha-ādi-dhūpaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra+gandha+ādi+dhūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural; समास: (vastra+gandha+ādi) list + dhūpa (तत्पुरुष ‘incenses/offerings such as cloth, fragrance, etc.’)

• purāṇa-uktāḥ: mentioned in the Purāṇas
• purāṇa-uktāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa+ukta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural; समास: purāṇa-ukta (तत्पुरुष ‘said in the Purāṇas’)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) ‘also/even’

• bhedena: by distinction/differently
• bhedena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular; adverbial ‘by distinction’

• pūjyāḥ: to be worshipped
• pūjyāḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūjya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural; gerundive adjective ‘to be worshipped’

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having seen’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Plural

• vandayet: should salute
• vandayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vand (धातु)
• Form: Vidhiliṅ-lakāra (Optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• prājñaḥ: a wise person
• prājñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Proper pūjā follows śāstra: offer cloth, fragrance, incense; honor beings according to Purāṇic distinctions; bow upon seeing them.

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra-cakṣuṣā (seeing through scripture) to regulate devotion; harmony of bhakti with vidhi (right method).

Application: In temples/tirthas, follow established ritual protocols; offer simple upacāras (vastra, gandha, dhūpa) and practice respectful namaskāra to holy persons/objects encountered.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-kṣetra

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.38 (not independent worship); Garuda Purana 3.24.40 (forms of vandana); Garuda Purana 3.24.41 (salutations to rivers, tulasī, etc.)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Purana teachings
• Worship-worthy beings (unspecified)

FAQs

What is the importance of offering cloth, fragrance, and incense in Garuda Purana rites?

This verse emphasizes that vastra (cloth), gandha (fragrance), and dhūpa (incense) are proper upacāras (ritual services) used to honor the worship-worthy recipients in the prescribed sacred context.

How does this verse guide correct ritual practice according to the Garuda Purana?

It instructs that worship should be done 'bhedena'—with attention to the Purāṇic classifications and distinctions—rather than as a single, undifferentiated act, and that respectful salutation (vandana) is essential upon encountering them.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow tradition-specific guidelines carefully (don’t improvise core rites), offer respectful upacāras within your means, and maintain humility—bowing in reverence to what is deemed worthy of honor in the ritual setting.