Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

कन्योवाच / जैगीषव्य ब्रूहि मे के च भक्ता भक्तिं कथं दर्शयामासुरेते / तेषां हरिः श्रीनिवासो महात्मा त्राता सदा भक्तवर्गे दयालुः

Transliteration

kanyovāca / jaigīṣavya brūhi me ke ca bhaktā bhaktiṃ kathaṃ darśayāmāsurete / teṣāṃ hariḥ śrīnivāso mahātmā trātā sadā bhaktavarge dayāluḥ

Translation

少女说道：“耆吉沙毗耶啊，请告诉我：那些奉献者是谁？他们又如何显现自己的奉爱（bhakti）？因为对他们而言，诃利——大心的室利尼婆娑——恒常以慈悲护持并救度奉献者的群体。”

Word by Word

• kanyā: the maiden
• kanyā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• jaigīṣavya: O Jaigīṣavya
• jaigīṣavya: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaigīṣavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); proper name/address

• brūhi: tell
• brūhi: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• me: to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); enclitic form

• ke: who
• ke: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); interrogative pronoun

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

• bhaktāḥ: devotees
• bhaktāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bhaktim: devotion
• bhaktim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb (प्रश्नवाचक अव्यय)

• darśayāmāsuḥ: they showed
• darśayāmāsuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु) + ṇic (णिच्)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन); causative (णिजन्त) parasmaipada; ‘they caused to be seen/showed’

• ete: these
• ete: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• hariḥ: Hari
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• śrī-nivāsaḥ: abode of Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• śrī-nivāsaḥ: Apposition (समानाधिकरण/Identifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + nivāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समासः (श्रियाः निवासः)

• mahātmā: the great-souled one
• mahātmā: Apposition (समानाधिकरण/Identifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारय-समासः (महान् आत्मा)

• trātā: protector
• trātā: Apposition (समानाधिकरण/Identifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: trātṛ (प्रातिपदिक; √trā तृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agent noun (तृन्त)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण/Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक)

• bhakta-varge: among the group of devotees
• bhakta-varge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Domain)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakta (प्रातिपदिक) + varga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष-समासः (भक्तानां वर्गः)

• dayāluḥ: compassionate
• dayāluḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dayālu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective qualifying hariḥ

Speaker

Kanya (the maiden)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Inquiry into who the true devotees are and how they expressed bhakti; affirmation that Hari Śrīnivāsa is the ever-compassionate protector of devotees.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as śaraṇya (refuge) and bhakta-vatsala; grace (anugraha) responding to devotion.

Application: Adopt śravaṇa as practice: ask for and listen to lives of saints; strengthen trust that compassionate protection accompanies sincere devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.21 (Prahlāda and others introduced)

Characters & Entities

• Jaigishavya
• Hari
• Shrinivasa

FAQs

What is the importance of bhakti in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames bhakti as a living, demonstrable practice and affirms that Hari (Śrīnivāsa) is consistently the compassionate protector of true devotees.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

While not describing afterlife mechanics directly, it establishes a key Garuda Purana theme: devotion to Hari functions as a safeguarding spiritual refuge, implying divine support across life’s trials and beyond.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate observable devotion—regular worship, ethical conduct, and remembrance of Hari—trusting that sincere bhakti aligns one with divine compassion and protection.