Shloka 36
Pilgrimage Sequence on Sacred Fords (Narmadā Region): Bhṛgu-tīrtha, Śiva-vratas, and Merit Amplification
त्वद्गुणनिकरान्वक्तुं कः शक्तो भवति मानुषो नाथ । वासुकिरयं हि कदाचिद्वदनसहस्रं भवेद्यस्य
tvadguṇanikarānvaktuṃ kaḥ śakto bhavati mānuṣo nātha | vāsukirayaṃ hi kadācidvadanasahasraṃ bhavedyasya
โอ้นาถ มนุษย์ผู้ใดเล่าจะสามารถกล่าวหมู่คุณอันนับไม่ถ้วนของพระองค์ได้ แม้แต่วาสุกีผู้มีพันปากในบางครา ก็ยังแทบกล่าวไม่ไหว
Unspecified devotee/narrator addressing the Lord (context not provided in the excerpt)
Concept: The Lord’s qualities are ananta (endless); human speech is inadequate, so praise becomes an act of humility rather than completion.
Application: When praising or praying, drop the need to be ‘eloquent’; offer sincere words and accept that the divine exceeds description—this reduces ego and increases steadiness.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The Lord stands serene and immeasurable, while behind the devotee’s imagination rises Vāsuki—an immense nāga with a thousand mouths, each mouth attempting to sing a syllable of praise. The scene conveys that even multiplied speech dissolves into silence before the infinite virtues of the Supreme.","primary_figures":["Vishnu (as the praised Lord)","Vāsuki (thousand-mouthed nāga)","Supplicant devotee"],"setting":"A celestial court-like space with cloud-thrones and lotus platforms; nāga coils form an ornamental arc behind the deity, like a living aureole.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["iridescent pearl white","emerald green","midnight blue","molten gold","coral red"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: Vishnu enthroned on a lotus with gold leaf halo; behind Him Vāsuki as a grand multi-hooded serpent, each hood jeweled and embossed with gold; the devotee at the base with folded hands; rich reds/greens, gem-like ornamentation, ornate arch and prabhāvali.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate depiction of a vast nāga with many small, finely rendered mouths; Vishnu calm at center, soft gradients in clouds, cool blues and greens, lyrical composition with refined faces and subtle gold accents.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized multi-hooded Vāsuki forming a symmetrical canopy; Vishnu with bold outlines and large eyes, flat pigment fields, temple-wall aesthetic, strong red/yellow/green with deep blue body tone.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Vishnu centered amid lotus motifs; Vāsuki’s many hoods arranged like a floral mandala; intricate borders, deep blues and gold, peacocks and stylized clouds, devotional textile richness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft cymbals (manjira)","distant conch","gentle wind","echoing temple hall"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: त्वत्+गुणनिकरान्→त्वद्गुणनिकरान्; वासुकिः+अयम्→वासुकिरयं; कदाचित्+वदनसहस्रम्→कदाचिद्वदनसहस्रं; भवेत्+यस्य→भवेद्यस्य.
FAQs
It is a poetic hyperbole: even a being imagined with many mouths (vast capacity for speech) would still be inadequate to fully recount the Lord’s limitless virtues.
By stressing the Lord’s immeasurable qualities and the devotee’s humility, it frames devotion as reverent praise (stuti) grounded in awe rather than intellectual mastery.
The verse teaches humility and restraint in self-assertion: divine greatness exceeds human description, so one should approach spiritual discourse with reverence and modesty.