Shloka 54

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

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

सुकेसरैः संयुतं स्वर्णचिह्नध्वजां कुशैर्वज्रचिह्नैर्यवैश्च / जानार्दनीं मूर्तिमाहुर्महान्तो दानं तस्या दुर्लभं तत्र तीर्थे

Transliteration

sukesaraiḥ saṃyutaṃ svarṇacihnadhvajāṃ kuśairvajracihnairyavaiśca / jānārdanīṃ mūrtimāhurmahānto dānaṃ tasyā durlabhaṃ tatra tīrthe

Translation

Các bậc đại hiền triết tuyên rằng tại thánh độ ấy có thánh tượng Janārdana: được điểm trang bằng mái tóc mịn đẹp, mang cờ hiệu có dấu ấn vàng, và gắn với cỏ kuśa, hạt lúa mạch (yava), cùng những dấu hiệu như kim cang (vajra). Ở tīrtha ấy, việc dâng cúng (dāna) lên hình tướng đó là vô cùng hiếm có.

Word by Word

• सु-केसरैः: with fine filaments (kesara)
• सु-केसरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (अव्यय-उपपद) + केसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘with good/fine filaments’

• संयुतम्: endowed/combined
• संयुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + युज् (धातु) → संयुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘joined/endowed’

• स्वर्ण-चिह्न-ध्वजाम्: a banner with golden marks
• स्वर्ण-चिह्न-ध्वजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘a banner with golden marks’)

• कुशैः: with kuśa grass
• कुशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• वज्र-चिह्नैः: with thunderbolt marks
• वज्र-चिह्नैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वज्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चिह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘with vajra-marks’)

• यवैः: with barley grains
• यवैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• जानार्दनीम्: of Janārdana
• जानार्दनीम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जानार्दनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण मूर्तिम्-इत्यस्य (‘of Janārdana’)

• मूर्तिम्: form/icon
• मूर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आहुः: they call/say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘they say/call’

• महान्तः: the great ones/sages
• महान्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दानम्: the giving (gift)
• दानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तस्याः: of that (form)/her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• दुर्लभम्: rare
• दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण दानम्-इत्यस्य

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• तीर्थे: at the sacred place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Arcā (iconic) presence of Janārdana at a tīrtha is a legitimate and potent focus of devotion; offerings made there carry special spiritual weight.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-brahman approached through arcā; symbols and auspicious marks as pedagogical supports for devotion and recollection of divine attributes.

Application: Engage in temple worship with attentiveness to symbolism; make offerings as acts of surrender rather than transaction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha (shrine/ford with a specific Janārdana form)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.26.51 (Hari knows merit); Garuda Purana 3.26.55 (mūrti-dāna and other rare gifts)

Characters & Entities

• Janardana (Vishnu)
• Mahantas (great sages)

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna to Janārdana at a tīrtha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that offerings made to the Janārdana form at that tīrtha are “durlabha” (rare), implying a special, hard-to-attain merit when such charity is performed there with ritual sanctity.

How does this verse connect ritual items like kuśa and yava to worship?

It links the sacred image of Janārdana with kuśa grass and barley (yava), both standard Vedic ritual substances, indicating that worship and giving are to be done with traditional ritual purity and prescribed materials.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform charity and devotional giving in a spirit of reverence—especially during pilgrimages or temple visits—using simple, pure offerings and dedicating the act to Viṣṇu for cultivating dharma and inner discipline.