Shloka 1

Vishnu-sahasranāma-style Japa: Vishnu as Cosmic Cause and Inner Self

Antaryāmin

Devanagari script

ऽध्यायः रुद्र उवाच / संसारसागराद्धोरामुच्यते किं जपन्प्रभो / नरस्तन्मे परं जप्यं पथय त्वं जनार्दन

Transliteration

'dhyāyaḥ rudra uvāca / saṃsārasāgarāddhorāmucyate kiṃ japanprabho / narastanme paraṃ japyaṃ pathaya tvaṃ janārdana

Translation

Rudra sprach: „O Herr, durch das Wiederholen welchen Japa wird der Mensch aus dem furchtbaren Ozean des Saṃsāra befreit? Weise mich in das höchste Ziel des Japa ein, o Janārdana.“

Word by Word

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Sambandha (Heading)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शीर्षक/विषय-निर्देश (chapter)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• संसार-सागरात्: from the ocean of worldly existence
• संसार-सागरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + सागर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (संसारस्य सागरः)

• घोरात्: terrible
• घोरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; विशेषण (संसारसागरात् इति)

• मुच्यते: is freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्न (interrogative: what?)

• जपन्: while reciting
• जपन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु) + शतृ (कृत्) → जपन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मे: my; for me
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (जप्यम् इति)

• जप्यम्: that which should be recited (mantra)
• जप्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्) → जप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: to be recited)

• पथय: teach; show (the way)
• पथय: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पथ्/पथि (धातु, causative) → पथय (धातु-आदेश)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: cause to know/lead)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जनार्दन: O Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दन: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम

Speaker

Rudra (Shiva)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Japa as a means to cross the saṃsāra-sāgara; seeking the supreme mantra from the Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Upāya (means) to moksha; guru/īśvara-upadeśa; saṃsāra as bondage and mantra as ferry.

Application: Approach practice with sincerity: choose an authorized mantra/nāma practice, maintain regular japa, and align life with the goal of liberation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.15.2 (answer: Vishnu-sahasranāma); Garuda Purana 1.14.12 (recitation fruit: Vishnuloka)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Janardana (Vishnu)
• Nara (human being)
• Saṁsāra

FAQs

What is the importance of mantra-japa for liberation in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames japa as a direct means to cross the terrifying “ocean of saṁsāra,” asking for the highest mantra that grants release from repeated birth and death.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It presents the soul’s central problem as bondage to saṁsāra and points to remembrance/repetition of the supreme divine name or mantra—taught by Vishnu—as the liberating method.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt a steady daily japa practice with sincere intention for inner purification and detachment, treating it as a disciplined path toward freedom from fear, anxiety, and compulsive worldly cycles.