Shloka 3

Śiva-pūjā: Mantra-phonetics, Nyāsa, Maṇḍala, Dīkṣā and Homa

Supreme Worship Leading to Śiva-sāyujya

Devanagari script

षष्ठेनाधो महामन्त्रो हौमित्येवाखिलार्थदः / हस्ताभ्यां संस्पृशेत्पादावूर्ध्वं पादान्मस्तकम्

Transliteration

ṣaṣṭhenādho mahāmantro haumityevākhilārthadaḥ / hastābhyāṃ saṃspṛśetpādāvūrdhvaṃ pādānmastakam

Translation

ثم في الخطوة السادسة يُطبَّق أسفلًا المانترا العظمى «هاوم (haum)» واهبَ جميع المقاصد؛ وبكلتا اليدين يُلمَسُ القدمان ثم يُرفَعُ المسار من القدمين إلى قِمّة الرأس.

Word by Word

• षष्ठेन: with the sixth (finger/part)
• षष्ठेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• अधः: below, downward
• अधः: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• महामन्त्रः: the great mantra
• महामन्त्रः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् मन्त्रः)

• हौम्: “haum”
• हौम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हौम् (बीजाक्षर/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; मन्त्र-बीज (mantric seed syllable)

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-चिह्न (quotative particle)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• अखिलार्थदः: giver of all aims/benefits
• अखिलार्थदः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अखिलानाम् अर्थानां दः/दाता)

• हस्ताभ्याम्: with (both) hands
• हस्ताभ्याम्: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), द्विवचन

• संस्पृशेत्: should touch
• संस्पृशेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पादौ: the two feet
• पादौ: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), द्विवचन

• ऊर्ध्वम्: upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: अधिकरण (Direction/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of direction)

• पादात्: from the foot/feet
• पादात्: अपादान (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• मस्तकम्: the head
• मस्तकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nyāsa as internalization of mantra—sanctifying the body and aligning it to divine purpose (purushartha-siddhi).

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin-bhāva (the Divine installed within); śarīra as upādhi to be purified for sādhana.

Application: Use mantra with mindful touch (feet-to-crown) as a daily preparatory practice before japa/puja; keep attention steady and breath calm.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (antar-yajna / body as altar)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.22.4-7 (nyasa, mudra, worship in lotus, fire-rite)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the mantra “haum” in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents “haum” as a mahāmantra and calls it akhilārthada—used here as a potent seed-sound in ritual application to confer comprehensive spiritual and worldly aims when performed correctly.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing the post-death journey, the verse teaches a bodily ritual movement (feet to crown), implying inner purification and energetic alignment—preparatory disciplines that support dharma and spiritual steadiness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If one follows a traditional practice under guidance, this suggests mindful, stepwise mantra-application with reverence—moving awareness from the feet upward—cultivating discipline, cleanliness, and focused devotion.