Shloka 33

Nārāyaṇa-Smaraṇa as the Supreme Dharma, Expiation, and Yogic Purifier

Devanagari script

वदतस्तिष्ठतो ऽन्यद्वा स्वेच्छया कर्म कुर्वतः / नापयाति यदा चिन्ता सिद्धां मन्येत धारणाम्

Transliteration

vadatastiṣṭhato 'nyadvā svecchayā karma kurvataḥ / nāpayāti yadā cintā siddhāṃ manyeta dhāraṇām

Translation

سواء كان المرء يتكلم أو يقف أو يفعل عملاً آخر باختياره—فإذا لم يَشْرُد تيارُ الفكر عن موضعه، فليُعَدَّ ذلك التركيز (دهارانا) مُتَمًّا.

Word by Word

• vadataḥ: of (one) speaking
• vadataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'of one who is speaking'

• tiṣṭhataḥ: of (one) standing
• tiṣṭhataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'of one who is standing/remaining'

• anyat: something else
• anyat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; 'something else' (with vā)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• svecchayā: by one’s own will
• svecchayā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + icchā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासार्थः 'स्वेच्छया' = 'by one’s own will'

• karma: action, deed
• karma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kurvataḥ: of (one) doing
• kurvataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'of one who is doing'

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• apayāti: goes away, departs
• apayāti: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: apa-√yā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• yadā: when
• yadā: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-सम्बन्ध (temporal conjunction/adverb: when)

• cintā: thought, anxiety
• cintā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cintā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• siddhām: accomplished, perfected
• siddhām: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: siddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of dhāraṇām)

• manyeta: should consider
• manyeta: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• dhāraṇām: concentration, retention (dhāraṇā)
• dhāraṇām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhāraṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dhāraṇā is perfected when attention does not depart even during varied voluntary actions; steadiness of citta is the measure of attainment.

Vedantic Theme: Citta-ekāgratā and abhyāsa-vairāgya; integration of contemplation with activity (karma-yoga compatible concentration).

Application: Train continuity of attention: choose a single support (breath, mantra, or chosen deity) and maintain it while speaking/standing/working; use brief check-ins to prevent drift.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: yoga/meditation instructions in devotional-philosophical sections emphasizing steadiness of mind

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of dhāraṇā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse defines dhāraṇā’s success as unwavering mental steadiness even during ordinary actions, making concentration a lived discipline rather than a seated practice only.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing mastery over the mind’s movements, it points to inner discipline as a foundation for spiritual progress—purifying intention and stabilizing awareness that supports higher yogic states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Train attention so it does not drift while speaking, standing, or working—returning the mind repeatedly to a chosen focus (mantra, breath, or duty) until steadiness becomes natural.