Shloka 2

Viṣṇu-dhyāna: Saguṇa Iconography, Nirguṇa Framework, and the Vāsudeva Insight

Devanagari script

हरिरुवाच / प्रवक्ष्यामि हरेर्ध्यानं मायातन्त्रविमर्दकम् / मूर्तामूर्तादिभेदेन तद्ध्यानं द्विविधं हर

Transliteration

hariruvāca / pravakṣyāmi harerdhyānaṃ māyātantravimardakam / mūrtāmūrtādibhedena taddhyānaṃ dvividhaṃ hara

Translation

قال هري: سأبيّن تأمّل هري الذي يسحق آلة المايا، قوة الوهم. يا هرا، ذلك التأمّل نوعان: ذو صورة (بصفات) ولامتصوّر (بلا صفات) وما إلى ذلك.

Word by Word

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मायातन्त्रविमर्दकम्: that which crushes/dispels the machinery of illusion
• मायातन्त्रविमर्दकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + तन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विमर्दक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (ध्यानम्)

• मूर्त: manifest (formed)
• मूर्त: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (मूर्त-अमूर्त-आदि)

• अमूर्त: unmanifest (formless)
• अमूर्त: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (मूर्त-अमूर्त-आदि)

• आदि: and so on
• आदि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावार्थ)
• Form: अव्यय; समासान्त-प्रयोग ("etc.")

• भेदेन: by distinction
• भेदेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• द्विविधम्: twofold
• द्विविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (ध्यानम्)

• हर: O Hari
• हर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Hari (Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari-dhyāna as māyā-tantra-vimardaka; twofold meditation as mūrta (saguṇa) and amūrta (nirguṇa).

Vedantic Theme: Saguna–nirguna upāsanā leading toward māyā-kṣaya and liberation; īśvara as both with and beyond attributes.

Application: Adopt a structured practice: begin with form-based visualization (mūrta) to steady the mind, then contemplate the attributeless (amūrta) as capacity matures; use daily japa and dhyāna to reduce identification with māyā.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.92.3-6 (mūrta-dhyāna lakṣaṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Hara (Shiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of Hari-dhyāna in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Hari-dhyāna as a direct antidote to māyā—meditation is presented as a method that dismantles delusion and leads the mind toward truth.

How does this verse classify meditation on Vishnu?

It states that Hari-meditation is twofold: mūrta (with form/attributes) and amūrta (formless/attributeless), indicating complementary approaches for different temperaments and stages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose a steady daily practice—either form-based Vishnu contemplation (name, form, qualities) or formless awareness of the divine—and use it to reduce anxiety, attachment, and भ्रम (delusion) in decision-making.