Shloka 89

Veṅkaṭeśa-Māhātmya: Varāha Prelude, Descent of Śeṣācala, Svāmipuṣkariṇī and the Network of Tīrthas

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मतीर्थे च संस्नाय श्रोतव्या वै हरेः कथा / गण्डिकायाः शिलायाश्च लक्ष्मीनारायणस्य तु

Transliteration

brahmatīrthe ca saṃsnāya śrotavyā vai hareḥ kathā / gaṇḍikāyāḥ śilāyāśca lakṣmīnārāyaṇasya tu

Translation

برہمتیرتھ میں غسل کرکے ہری کی کَتھا ضرور سننی چاہیے—خصوصاً گنڈیکا اور لکشمی-نارائن کی مقدس شِلا کے حوالے سے۔

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मतीर्थे: at the Brahma-tīrtha
• ब्रह्मतीर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• संस्नाय: having bathed
• संस्नाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund, absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having bathed)

• श्रोतव्या: should be heard
• श्रोतव्या: Vidhi (विधि/obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/शेष)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• कथा: story/discourse
• कथा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्ता/विषय

• गण्डिकायाः: of the Gaṇḍikā (stone)
• गण्डिकायाः: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/शेष)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण्डिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• शिलायाः: of the stone
• शिलायाः: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/शेष)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• लक्ष्मीनारायणस्य: of Lakṣmīnārāyaṇa
• लक्ष्मीनारायणस्य: Sambandha/Śeṣa (सम्बन्ध/शेष)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी-नारायण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Snana (outer purification) and shravana of Hari-katha (inner purification) at a tirtha amplify devotion; sacred objects (shila) anchor remembrance.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti as a purifier of mind; shravana as a primary limb leading toward steady contemplation (nididhyasana).

Application: On pilgrimage or at home, combine ritual bathing/cleanliness with attentive listening/reading of Hari-katha; keep a sacred symbol (shila/salagrama) as a focus for daily worship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha (sacred ford) / sacred river-place / sacred stone

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: tirtha-mahatmya and Hari-katha prescriptions in adjacent verses of 3.26; Garuda Purana: emphasis on shravana-kirtana of Vishnu (general)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Lakshmi-Narayana
• Brahma-tirtha
• Gandika
• Shila

FAQs

What is the importance of bathing at Brahma-tirtha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Brahma-tīrtha bathing (snāna) as a purificatory act that supports spiritual merit, especially when paired with devotional hearing of Hari’s sacred discourse.

How does this verse connect ritual practice with liberation-oriented devotion?

It links external purification (tīrtha-snana) with inner purification (śravaṇa of Hari-kathā), indicating that devotional listening is central even alongside pilgrimage rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Combine simple acts of cleanliness and sacred remembrance with regular listening/reading of Vishnu-oriented teachings (Hari-kathā), treating devotion as the core practice rather than ritual alone.