Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

सोपानानां वीन्द्र चारोहणेन त्ववैष्णवानां हरितोषो न चैव / तेनैव तेषां साधनं भूय एव तमस्यन्धे पातयितुं खगेन्द्र

Transliteration

sopānānāṃ vīndra cārohaṇena tvavaiṣṇavānāṃ haritoṣo na caiva / tenaiva teṣāṃ sādhanaṃ bhūya eva tamasyandhe pātayituṃ khagendra

Translation

O Khagendra (Garuda), kahit sa pag-akyat sa mga hagdan ng ritwal o pagsasanay, ang mga hindi Vaiṣṇava ay hindi tunay na nakalulugod kay Hari. Sa halip, ang mismong “pagsasanay” nila ang nagiging dagdag na paraan upang ihulog sila sa bulag na dilim ng pagkalito at pagbagsak.

Word by Word

• sopānānām: of the steps
• sopānānām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sopāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• vīndra: O Vīndra
• vīndra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīndra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; epithet ‘O Indra among birds’ (addressing Garuḍa)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• ārohaṇena: by the ascent/climbing
• ārohaṇena: Karaṇa (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārohaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; ‘by means of climbing’

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) from tvavaiṣṇavānām sandhi

• avaiṣṇavānām: of non-Vaiṣṇavas
• avaiṣṇavānām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; ‘of non-Vaiṣṇavas’

• hari-toṣaḥ: Hari’s pleasure
• hari-toṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक) + toṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘Hari’s satisfaction’

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• tena: therefore/by that
• tena: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter/Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; ‘by that/therefore’

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदik/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; refers to avaiṣṇavāḥ

• sādhanam: means/practice
• sādhanam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• bhūyaḥ: rather/more
• bhūyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhūyas (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘again/more’

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• tamasi: in darkness
• tamasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• andhe: blind (dark)
• andhe: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: andha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; qualifying ‘tamasi’

• pātayitum: to cause to fall / to cast down
• pātayitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (धातु) with causative (णिच्)
• Form: Causative infinitive (णिच् + तुमुन्)

• khagendra: O king of birds
• khagendra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaga (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; ‘O lord of birds’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual or spiritual ‘ascent’ devoid of genuine Vaiṣṇava devotion does not please Hari; wrong orientation converts practice into further bondage and delusion.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā/tamas corrupts action; intention and right understanding (samyag-dṛṣṭi) are essential; mere karma without bhakti/knowledge can bind.

Application: Audit motives and worldview; align practice with devotion, humility, and ethical transformation; avoid sectarian pride and hollow ritualism.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: ritual/temple approach (metaphoric)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: critiques of empty ritual and emphasis on Vishnu-bhakti as the purifier; Garuda Purana: tamas/moha as causes of downfall when dharma is misapplied

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Khagendra (Garuda)
• Avaiṣṇavas (non-Vaiṣṇavas)

FAQs

What is the importance of pleasing Hari (Viṣṇu) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Hari-toṣa (pleasing Viṣṇu) as the decisive criterion: practices lacking genuine Viṣṇu-bhakti may fail to yield spiritual uplift and can even deepen delusion.

How does this verse explain the danger of ritual without devotion?

It suggests that merely ‘climbing steps’ of religious practice, when disconnected from Hari-centered devotion, can become a cause of tamas—spiritual blindness—leading to moral and spiritual decline.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize sincerity, humility, and devotion in any sādhana; avoid using rituals for pride or social display, and align practice with ethical living and remembrance of Hari.