Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

मुहूर्तमपि यो ध्यायेन्नारायणमतन्द्रितः / सो ऽपि स्वर्गतिमाप्नोति किं पुनस्तत्परायणः

Transliteration

muhūrtamapi yo dhyāyennārāyaṇamatandritaḥ / so 'pi svargatimāpnoti kiṃ punastatparāyaṇaḥ

Translation

حتى من يتأمّل نارايانا لِمُهورتا واحدةٍ فقط بتيقّظٍ لا فتور فيه ينالُ سبيلَ السماء؛ فكيف بمن جعلَه غايةَ اعتماده وتفانيه كلَّه؟

Word by Word

• मुहूर्तम्: a moment (muhūrta)
• मुहूर्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (time-measure)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि=even/also

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative)

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नारायणम्: Narayana
• नारायणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अतन्द्रितः: unwearied, attentive
• अतन्द्रितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतन्द्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of यः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपवादार्थे

• स्वर्गतिम्: the path/state of heaven
• स्वर्गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वर्गस्य गतिः)

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• किम्: what (how much more)
• किम्: Avyaya (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• पुनः: again; rather
• पुनः: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरुक्ति/अधिक्यार्थे (again; rather)

• तत्परायणः: one devoted to Him
• तत्परायणः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तस्मिन् परायणः = devoted to Him)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa) instructing Garuḍa

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even brief, attentive meditation on Nārāyaṇa yields svarga-gati; full dedication yields far greater results.

Vedantic Theme: Power of ekāgratā and īśvara-smaraṇa; bhakti/dhyāna as karma-transcending merit and mind-purification.

Application: Set a daily fixed window (even 10–20 minutes) of focused Nārāyaṇa-dhyāna; cultivate steadiness (atandrita) rather than duration alone.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana praise of Viṣṇu-dhyāna and nāma as granting higher lokas and protection

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the importance of meditating on Nārāyaṇa in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse states that even brief, attentive meditation on Nārāyaṇa yields a heavenly destiny, highlighting bhakti as a powerful purifier and protector.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It links remembrance/meditation on the Divine with an elevated post-death trajectory (svargagati), implying that inner devotion shapes one’s destination beyond death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Set aside a focused daily period—even a short one—for Nārāyaṇa-smaraṇa (remembrance) or japa, emphasizing attention and sincerity over duration.