Shloka 3

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

Antaryāmin

Devanagari script

यत्प वित्रं परं जप्यं कथयामि वृषध्वज ! / शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा सर्वपापविनाशनम्

Transliteration

yatpa vitraṃ paraṃ japyaṃ kathayāmi vṛṣadhvaja ! / śṛṇuṣvāvahito bhūtvā sarvapāpavināśanam

Translation

O Vṛṣadhvaja, ich werde dir das höchst reinigende Mantra verkünden, das am würdigsten ist, immer wieder im Japa zu wiederholen. Höre mit voller Aufmerksamkeit, denn es vernichtet alle Sünden.

Word by Word

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• पवित्रम्: purifier; sacred (thing)
• पवित्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of पवित्रम्)

• जप्यम्: to be recited (as japa)
• जप्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्मणि-भावे कृत्य (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘to be recited’

• कथयामि: I tell; I declare
• कथयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; कथ् + णिच्)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वृषध्वज: O Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषध्वज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक; वृष + ध्वज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘whose banner is the bull’)

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अवहितः: attentive
• अवहितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवहित (प्रातिपदिक; अव + धा/हित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied ‘त्वम्’)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• सर्वपापविनाशनम्: destroyer of all sins
• सर्वपापविनाशनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-पाप-विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + पाप + विनाशन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (‘destroyer of all sins’)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mantra-japa and attentive śravaṇa as supreme purification that destroys pāpa.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma/Mantra as upāya; antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi as prerequisite for higher realization.

Application: Adopt daily japa of the taught Viṣṇu-nāma/mantra with focused attention; pair with mindful listening/recitation for ethical self-correction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda) nāma-stotra/mantra sections around 1.15; Garuda Purana teachings on pāpa-kṣaya through Viṣṇu-smaraṇa in bhakti-oriented passages

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of japa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames japa as a “supremely purifying” practice and emphasizes attentive listening/recitation as a means to destroy sin and cleanse the practitioner.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By highlighting sin-destruction through sacred recitation, it points to purification as a prerequisite for a smoother post-death journey and reduced karmic burden.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt a regular mantra-japa routine with focused attention (avahita), using it as a discipline for ethical living, mental clarity, and karmic self-correction.