Shloka 17

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

with Dāna-Lakṣaṇas

Devanagari script

मायां मदीयां ज्ञानशस्त्रेण च्छित्वा भक्त्या हरेः स्मरणं त्वं कुरुष्व / यद्भक्तिरूपूर्वं स्मरणं नाम विष्णोस्तत्सर्वथा पापहरं च मातः

Transliteration

māyāṃ madīyāṃ jñānaśastreṇa cchitvā bhaktyā hareḥ smaraṇaṃ tvaṃ kuruṣva / yadbhaktirūpūrvaṃ smaraṇaṃ nāma viṣṇostatsarvathā pāpaharaṃ ca mātaḥ

Translation

以智慧之刃斩断我自身的幻力（māyā），并以奉爱（bhakti）修持对哈利（Hari）的忆念。因为那以奉爱为先、由奉爱所成的毗湿奴圣名忆念，处处皆能除罪，噢，母亲。

Word by Word

• māyām: illusion
• māyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• madīyām: my
• madīyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• jñāna-śastreṇa: with the weapon of knowledge
• jñāna-śastreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna + śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (jñānasya śastram)

• chitvā: having cut
• chitvā: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: chid (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• hareḥ: of Hari
• hareḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• smaraṇam: remembrance
• smaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (प्रातिपदिक; pronoun)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• kuruṣva: do / practice
• kuruṣva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• yat: which
• yat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक; relative pronoun)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bhakti-rūpa-pūrvam: preceded by devotion (as its form)
• bhakti-rūpa-pūrvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakti + rūpa + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (bhakti-rūpam pūrvam)

• smaraṇam: remembrance
• smaraṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• nāma: namely
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक/उपपद (particle: 'called/namely')

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक; demonstrative)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• sarvathā: in every way
• sarvathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• pāpa-haram: sin-destroying
• pāpa-haram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa + hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (pāpam harati iti)

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

• mātaḥ: O mother
• mātaḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra in discourse; vocative 'mātaḥ' retained from the received verse-reading)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Māyā is cut by jñāna; bhakti-shaped remembrance of Hari/Vishnu-nāma destroys sin.

Vedantic Theme: Māyā-avidyā nivṛtti through jñāna aided by bhakti; nāma as upāya for citta-śuddhi leading toward liberation.

Application: Combine study/discernment (jñāna-śastra) with daily nāma-smaraṇa/japa; treat devotion as the ‘prior condition’ that makes remembrance transformative.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring praise of Vishnu-nāma as pāpa-hara and as support for the departed (general theme)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Hari

FAQs

What is the importance of nāma-smaraṇa (remembrance of Vishnu’s name) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that remembrance of Viṣṇu’s name—when rooted in bhakti—is “sarvathā pāpa-haram,” a complete remover of sins, making it a central, high-efficacy spiritual practice.

How does this verse explain overcoming māyā according to the Garuda Purana?

It presents māyā as something to be cut through by “jñāna-śastra” (the weapon of true knowledge), and then stabilized through devotional remembrance of Hari, implying both discernment and devotion are needed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily Hari/Viṣṇu nāma-smaraṇa (japa or mindful remembrance) alongside study and reflection that sharpen discernment, using both to reduce delusion, harmful habits, and ethical lapses.