Shloka 14

Devanagari script

तेनैव च दिशो बद्धा पूजा विधिमथाचरेत् / हृदये चिन्तयेत्पूर्वं योगपीठं समाहितः

Transliteration

tenaiva ca diśo baddhā pūjā vidhimathācaret / hṛdaye cintayetpūrvaṃ yogapīṭhaṃ samāhitaḥ

Translation

Durch eben diese Handlung, nachdem die Himmelsrichtungen rituell gebunden und gesichert sind, vollziehe man sodann die vorgeschriebene Verehrungsordnung. Zuerst, gesammelt und aufmerksam, betrachte man im Herzen das Yogapīṭha, den yogischen Sitz.

Word by Word

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — 'by that'

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — emphasis 'indeed/only'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक)

• दिशः: the directions
• दिशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• बद्धाः: secured/bound
• बद्धाः: Kriya (State/result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle/कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — 'bound/secured' (दिशः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• पूजा: worship
• पूजा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• विधिम्: the procedure
• विधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तरार्थक-निपात) — 'then/thereupon'

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — 'he should perform/practice'

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• चिन्तयेत्: should contemplate
• चिन्तयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद — 'he should contemplate'

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: Sambandha (Time/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (काल-क्रियाविशेषण) — 'first/beforehand'

• योग-पीठम्: the yogapīṭha (yogic seat)
• योग-पीठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — 'the yogic seat/base (yogapīṭha)'

• समाहितः: composed/attentive
• समाहितः: Karta (Agent qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-√धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — 'collected/attentive' (कर्तृविशेषणम्)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Outer order supports inner absorption: secure the ritual cosmos, then enthrone the deity in the heart as yogapīṭha.

Vedantic Theme: From bahirmukhatā to antarmukhatā: ritual culminates in inward contemplation; īśvara-upāsanā stabilizes the mind.

Application: After nyāsa, perform digbandha (directional sealing), proceed with pūjā steps, and begin with heart-dhyāna of the yogapīṭha in a composed posture.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space + inner sanctuary

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.11.10-13 (nyāsa and protective mantras as prerequisites)

FAQs

What is the importance of dik-bandhana (securing the directions) in Garuda Purana worship?

This verse places dik-bandhana as a preparatory act that ritually protects and stabilizes the worship space, after which the formal pūjā procedure is undertaken.

How does this verse explain the role of inner meditation before ritual?

It instructs that one should first visualize the yogapīṭha in the heart with a collected mind, showing that inner concentration is the foundation for outer ritual correctness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before any prayer or pūjā, briefly settle the mind, set a clear sacred intention, and create a focused space—then proceed with the ritual steps more attentively.