Shloka 45

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

Devanagari script

अग्निकार्यं जपः स्नानं विष्णोर्ध्यानञ्च पूजनम् / गन्तुं दुः खोदधेः कुर्युर्ये च तत्र नरन्ति ते

Transliteration

agnikāryaṃ japaḥ snānaṃ viṣṇordhyānañca pūjanam / gantuṃ duḥ khodadheḥ kuryurye ca tatra naranti te

Translation

الذين هناك يؤدّون قرابين النار، ويلازمون الجَپا (ترديد المانترا)، ويغتسلون للتطهّر، ويتأمّلون في فيشنو، ويعبدونه—أولئك يجعلون عبورَ محيطِ الحزن ممكنًا؛ بل هم حقًّا من يُعين على بلوغ الشاطئ الآخر.

Word by Word

• agni-kāryam: fire-ritual
• agni-kāryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक) + kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (agni-sambandhi kārya); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• japaḥ: recitation
• japaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• dhyānam: meditation
• dhyānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• pūjanam: worship
• pūjanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• gantum: to go
• gantum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (infinitive)

• duḥkha-udadheḥ: from the ocean of sorrow
• duḥkha-udadheḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + udadhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘ocean of sorrow’; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kuryuḥ: should do
• kuryuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (plural)

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• naranti: lead (others)/guide (interpretive)
• naranti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (demonstrative), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Integrated sādhanā—agni-kārya, japa, snāna, dhyāna, pūjā—centered on Viṣṇu enables transcendence of suffering and guides others as well.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana-catuṣṭaya support through purity and devotion; bhakti as a boat across saṃsāra; karma-yoga elements subordinated to Viṣṇu-dhyāna.

Application: Maintain daily discipline: simple homa/ दीप-agnikarya where appropriate, mantra-japa, regular bathing/cleanliness, Viṣṇu-dhyāna and pūjā; join/lead satsanga that helps others sustain practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: symbolic-crossing

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: prescriptions of japa, pūjā, and Viṣṇu-smaraṇa as deliverance from fear and suffering; Garuda Purana: emphasis on daily nitya-karma with Hari-bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of agnikarya, japa, snana, and Vishnu-puja in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents them as core purificatory and devotional acts whose combined merit helps a person overcome profound suffering, described metaphorically as an “ocean of sorrow.”

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It implies that disciplined ritual purity and Viṣṇu-centered devotion create spiritual support for safely “crossing” distress—an image often used in Purāṇic literature for moving beyond fear, sin, and post-death hardship.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain daily purity (snāna), steady mantra practice (japa), and sincere Viṣṇu worship/meditation; treat these as stabilizing disciplines for ethical living and inner resilience during suffering.