Shloka 48

Viṣṇv-ekapūjya-nirṇaya; Gaṅgā-Viṣṇupadī-māhātmya; Kali-yuga doṣa; Puṣkara-dharma of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

मृत्तिकास्नान काले तु वराहं संस्मरेद्धरिम् / पुण्ड्राणां धारणे चैव केशवादींश्च द्वादश

Transliteration

mṛttikāsnāna kāle tu varāhaṃ saṃsmareddharim / puṇḍrāṇāṃ dhāraṇe caiva keśavādīṃśca dvādaśa

Translation

عند الاغتسال بالطين المقدّس (مِرِتّيكَا) فليتذكّر المرءُ هَري على هيئة فاراها. وعند وضع التيلاكا (پونْدرا) فليتْلُ كذلك الأسماء الاثني عشر التي تبدأ بـ«كيشافا».

Word by Word

• मृत्तिका-स्नान-काले: at the time of bathing with clay
• मृत्तिका-स्नान-काले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्तिका (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; क्रमिक-षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मृत्तिकायाः स्नानस्य कालः)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• वराहम्: Varaha (boar incarnation)
• वराहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• संस्मरेत्: should remember
• संस्मरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) with सम्-उपसर्ग
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुण्ड्राणाम्: of the tilaka marks (puṇḍras)
• पुण्ड्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्ड्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रायः), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• धारणे: in/at the wearing
• धारणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• केशव-आदीन्: (names) beginning with Keshava
• केशव-आदीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = beginning with; केशव-आदि (beginning with Keshava)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (केशवादीन् इति विशेष्यस्य अन्वयः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual acts become bhakti when paired with specific smaraṇa: Varāha during mṛttikā-snāna; Dvādaśa-nāma during tilaka.

Vedantic Theme: Upāsanā through nāma-rūpa; external marks (tilaka) support internal recollection, stabilizing the mind toward Īśvara.

Application: While bathing (especially with clay/earth), mentally invoke Varāha; while applying ūrdhva-puṇḍra, recite the Dvādaśa-nāma (Keśava etc.) with attention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (domestic or riverside)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.29.49-50 (mudrā, sandhyā, śrāddha smaraṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Varaha
• Keshava

FAQs

What is the importance of mṛttikā-snāna in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links bathing with sacred earth to devotional remembrance, instructing the practitioner to meditate on Hari specifically as Varāha, turning physical purification into spiritual purification.

Why does the verse mention Varāha during bathing?

Varāha is associated with uplifting and purifying the earth; remembering Hari as Varāha during clay-bathing aligns the act of cleansing with the divine principle of restoring and sanctifying the earth-element.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

While bathing (especially before worship), consciously remember Vishnu, and when applying tilaka, chant the twelve names beginning with Keśava—making daily routine a disciplined devotional practice.