Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

विद्वेषादपि गोविन्दं दमघोषात्मजः स्मरन् / शिशुपालो गतस्तत्त्वं किं पुनस्तत्परायणः

Transliteration

vidveṣādapi govindaṃ damaghoṣātmajaḥ smaran / śiśupālo gatastattvaṃ kiṃ punastatparāyaṇaḥ

Translation

حتى بدافع البغضاء، حين تذكّر غوفيندا، بلغ شيشوبالا ابن داماغهوشا الحقيقةَ العليا؛ فكم بالأحرى يبلغها من يفني نفسه في الإخلاص له ويتّخذه ملاذًا تامًّا.

Word by Word

• विद्वेषात्: from hatred
• विद्वेषात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘even/also’

• गोविन्दम्: Govinda (Krishna)
• गोविन्दम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• दमघोषात्मजः: son of Damaghoṣa
• दमघोषात्मजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दमघोष (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (damaghoṣasya ātmajaḥ)

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta (Agent; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शिशुपालः: Śiśupāla
• शिशुपालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशुपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गतः: attained/went to
• गतः: Karta (Predicate; ‘having gone/attained’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्त्वम्: the true state/essence (truth)
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (interrogative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• पुनः: then/how much more
• पुनः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), ‘again/further/more so’

• तत्परायणः: one devoted to Him
• तत्परायणः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (tasmin parāyaṇaḥ = devoted to Him)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even antagonistic fixation on Bhagavān (Govinda) can grant liberation; exclusive devotion (tat-parāyaṇatā) is even more efficacious.

Vedantic Theme: Sāyujya/ekatva through single-pointed citta-vṛtti; the Lord as the ultimate tattva; nāma-rūpa-smaraṇa as a purifier overriding prior saṃskāras.

Application: Cultivate deliberate remembrance of Viṣṇu (nāma-smaraṇa, dhyāna); redirect obsessive thoughts—whether negative or positive—into conscious devotion and surrender.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.231 (Narasimha-stuti context begins immediately after; thematic continuity of Viṣṇu-protection and devotion)

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Damaghosha
• Shishupala

FAQs

What is the importance of remembrance of Govinda in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that even hostile remembrance can lead to the Supreme Reality, highlighting the extraordinary purifying power of fixing the mind on Govinda; devoted remembrance is therefore portrayed as a direct means to liberation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It implies that the soul’s destination is shaped by the mind’s final and repeated orientation—here, remembrance of the Divine—suggesting that God-centered consciousness overrides even negative emotion and leads to the highest state.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady remembrance through prayer, japa, and ethical living; redirect anger or obsession into conscious recollection of the Divine name and qualities, making devotion the default mental refuge.