Garuda Purana — Moksha Sadhana Prakarana, Shloka 11

Haristuti-saṅgraha: Devatā–Ṛṣi Praṇāma, Nāma-māhātmya, and Vairāgya from Deha-āsakti

Devanagari script

रतिरुवाच / संचिन्तयामि नृहरेर्वदनारविन्दं भृत्यानुकंपितधिया हि गृहीतमूर्तिम् / यच्छ्रीनिकेतमजरुद्ररमादिकैश्च संलालितं कुटिलङ्कुन्तलवृन्दजुष्टम्

Transliteration

ratiruvāca / saṃcintayāmi nṛharervadanāravindaṃ bhṛtyānukaṃpitadhiyā hi gṛhītamūrtim / yacchrīniketamajarudraramādikaiśca saṃlālitaṃ kuṭilaṅkuntalavṛndajuṣṭam

Translation

রতি বলিলেন—আমি নৃহরির পদ্মমুখ ধ্যান করি; ভৃত্যদের প্রতি করুণায় তিনি দেহ ধারণ করেন। তিনি শ্রী-নিকেতন; ব্রহ্মা, রুদ্র, রমা প্রভৃতি যাঁকে স্নেহে লালন করেন, এবং যাঁর কুটিল কুঞ্চিত কেশগুচ্ছ শোভা পায়।

Word by Word

• ratiḥ: Rati
• ratiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• saṃcintayāmi: I contemplate
• saṃcintayāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-cint (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• nṛhareḥ: of Nṛhari (Man-Lion Lord)
• nṛhareḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛhari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• vadana-aravindam: the lotus-face
• vadana-aravindam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadana (प्रातिपदिक) + aravinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘अरविन्दं वदनम्’ (lotus-like face)

• bhṛtya-anukaṃpita-dhiyā: with a mind moved by compassion for servants
• bhṛtya-anukaṃpita-dhiyā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛtya (प्रातिपदिक) + anukaṃpita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + dhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘भृत्येषु अनुकम्पितया धिया’ (with a mind compassionate to servants)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थ (indeed)

• gṛhīta-mūrtim: the form that has been assumed
• gṛhīta-mūrtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛhīta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘गृहीता मूर्तिः’ (assumed form)

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• śrī-niketam: the abode of Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• śrī-niketam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + niketa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘श्रियाः निकेतम्’ (abode of Śrī)

• aja-rudra-ramā-ādikaiḥ: by Brahmā, Rudra, Ramā (Lakṣmī), and others
• aja-rudra-ramā-ādikaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक) + rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + ramā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/स्त्री-मिश्र, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व—‘अजश्च रुद्रश्च रमा च आदयश्च’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• saṃlālitam: caressed
• saṃlālitam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ-√lāl (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle/कृदन्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘संलालितम्’ (caressed)

• kuṭila-aṅka-kuntala-vṛnda-juṣṭam: adorned with a mass of curled locks
• kuṭila-aṅka-kuntala-vṛnda-juṣṭam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kuṭila (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅka (प्रातिपदिक) + kuntala (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛnda (प्रातिपदिक) + juṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—‘कुटिलाङ्ककुन्तलवृन्देन जुष्टम्’ (adorned/inhabited by a cluster of curled, marked locks)

Speaker

Rati

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dhyāna on the Lord’s lotus-face and recognition that He assumes form out of compassion for devotees.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-brahman as anukampā-avatāra; īśvara’s grace accessible through loving contemplation.

Application: Practice daily dhyāna on Viṣṇu/Narahari’s form (mukha-aravinda), cultivating gratitude for divine compassion and steadiness of mind.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.7.12-15 (continuation of stuti and protection-prayer)

Characters & Entities

• Narahari (Vishnu)
• Shri (Lakshmi)
• Brahma (Aja)
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Rama (Lakshmi)

FAQs

What is the importance of meditating on Narahari in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Narahari as the compassionate Lord who assumes a tangible form for devotees, making dhyāna (meditative remembrance) a direct means of anchoring the mind in divine protection and auspiciousness (Śrī-niketa).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana teachings?

Although not a death-journey verse, it supports the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching that remembrance of the Lord (dhyāna/bhakti) purifies the inner being and strengthens spiritual orientation—an aid repeatedly emphasized in discussions of fate, merit, and liberation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use this as a daily dhyāna: visualize the lotus-face of Narahari, cultivate compassion (anukampā) like the Lord’s, and align actions with devotion and protection of others.