Shloka 63

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

Devanagari script

जैगीषव्य उवाच / कन्ये शृणु त्वं ह्यभवत्सुबुद्धिमान्प्रह्रादसंज्ञो हरिभक्तवर्यः / निष्कामबुद्ध्या तु यदा जगाम शेषाचलस्थं श्रीनिवासं च द्रष्टुम्

Transliteration

jaigīṣavya uvāca / kanye śṛṇu tvaṃ hyabhavatsubuddhimānprahrādasaṃjño haribhaktavaryaḥ / niṣkāmabuddhyā tu yadā jagāma śeṣācalasthaṃ śrīnivāsaṃ ca draṣṭum

Translation

耆吉沙毗耶说道：“少女啊，且听。曾有一位大智者名为普罗诃罗陀（Prahlāda），为哈利（Hari）信众中最胜者。他以无欲之心，曾前往瞻礼住于舍沙阿遮罗（Śeṣācala）之室利尼瓦萨（Śrīnivāsa）。”

Word by Word

• jaigīṣavyaḥ: Jaigīṣavya
• jaigīṣavyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaigīṣavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; proper name

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; √vac

• kanye: O maiden
• kanye: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Vocative, Singular

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; √śru (श्रु)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1st), Singular

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/causal

• abhavat: there was/became
• abhavat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; √bhū (भू)

• su-buddhimān: very wise
• su-buddhimān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + buddhimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; karmadhāraya: su-buddhimān = 'very intelligent'

• prahrāda-saṃjñaḥ: named Prahrāda
• prahrāda-saṃjñaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prahrāda + saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: prahrāda-saṃjñaḥ = 'named Prahrāda'

• hari-bhakta-varyaḥ: the best devotee of Hari
• hari-bhakta-varyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari + bhakta + varya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: harer bhaktaḥ; with varya 'best'

• niṣkāma-buddhyā: with desireless intent
• niṣkāma-buddhyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niṣkāma + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; karmadhāraya: niṣkāma-buddhi = 'desireless intention'

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Temporal adverb (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• jagāma: he went
• jagāma: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; √gam

• śeṣācala-stham: dwelling on Śeṣācala
• śeṣācala-stham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śeṣācala + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; tatpuruṣa: śeṣācala-stha = 'situated on Śeṣācala'

• śrīnivāsam: Śrīnivāsa
• śrīnivāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrīnivāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• draṣṭum: to see
• draṣṭum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitive of purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), 'to see'; √dṛś (दृश्)

Speaker

Jaigishavya (sage)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Niṣkāma-bhakti: approaching the Lord for darśana without worldly desire.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti as a purifying sādhana leading toward antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi and grace.

Application: Undertake pilgrimage or worship with reduced transactional motives; cultivate intention of darśana and surrender rather than gain.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mountain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.24.62 (question about the tīrtha); Garuda Purana 3.24.64-66 (Nṛsiṃha/Śrīnivāsa teaching and dialogue)

Characters & Entities

• Jaigishavya
• Prahlada
• Hari
• Shrinivasa
• Sheshachala

FAQs

What is the importance of niṣkāma-buddhi (desireless intention) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that the highest devotion approaches Hari without personal gain; the mind free from craving becomes fit for true darśana and spiritual clarity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By presenting Prahlāda as the model devotee, it implies that inner purity and devotion to Viṣṇu—rather than worldly desire—guides one toward liberation-oriented living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice devotion, prayer, or pilgrimage with humility and without bargaining for results; cultivate actions done for dharma and inner transformation rather than reward.