Shloka 15

Mantra-Nyāsa and Elemental Maṇḍalas: Nāga Invocation and Garuḍa–Bhairava Dhyāna for Protection

Devanagari script

आस्यादिस्वपुरस्थाने न्यस्याच्छिवपडङ्गकम् / कनिष्ठादौ हृदादौ च शिखायां करयोर्न्यसेत्

Transliteration

āsyādisvapurasthāne nyasyācchivapaḍaṅgakam / kaniṣṭhādau hṛdādau ca śikhāyāṃ karayornyaset

Translation

Man soll den śivaitischen sechsgliedrigen Nyāsa vollziehen, indem man die Mantras auf die vorgeschriebenen Körpersitze legt, beginnend beim Mund und den weiteren festgelegten Stellen. Ebenso lege man sie auf die Finger, beginnend beim kleinen Finger, ferner auf das Herz und die übrigen Aṅga-Nyāsa-Punkte, sowie auf die Śikhā (Scheitelhaarlocke) und auf beide Hände.

Word by Word

• आस्यात्: from the mouth
• आस्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• आदि: etc./beginning with
• आदि: Modifier (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय)
• Form: आद्यार्थक अव्यय (etc./beginning with)

• स्व: one’s own
• स्व: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• पुर: of the body/city (here: body)
• पुर: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• स्थाने: in the bodily locations (starting from the mouth etc.)
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः: आस्य-आदि-स्व-पुर-स्थान (तत्पुरुष: ‘in the place of one’s body beginning with the mouth’)

• न्यस्यात्: should place
• न्यस्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस्/न्यस् (धातु: न्यस्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should place’

• शिव: auspicious/Śiva-related
• शिव: Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• पडङ्गकम्: the (mantra/nyāsa) called śiva-paḍaṅgaka
• पडङ्गकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पडङ्गक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः: शिव-पडङ्गक (कर्मधारय: ‘Śiva-padāṅgaka/auspicious padāṅgaka’)

• कनिष्ठात्: from the little finger
• कनिष्ठात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• आदि: etc./beginning with
• आदि: Modifier (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय)
• Form: आद्यार्थक अव्यय (etc./beginning with)

• हृदः: from the heart
• हृदः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद्/हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• आदि: etc./beginning with
• आदि: Modifier (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय)
• Form: आद्यार्थक अव्यय (etc./beginning with)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शिखायाम्: in the topknot/crown (śikhā)
• शिखायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• करयोः: of the two hands
• करयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस्/न्यस् (धातु: न्यस्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nyāsa disciplines body, speech, and mind—turning the practitioner into a fit vessel for mantra and worship; protection and purity arise from correct installation.

Vedantic Theme: Upāsanā as preparation (sādhana-catuṣṭaya support): śuddhi and ekāgratā via embodied ritual; the body as instrument, not the Self.

Application: Before mantra-japa, perform ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa (Śaiva sixfold) on mouth and other seats, then aṅga-nyāsa on heart etc., and seal with śikhā and hands; maintain clear sankalpa and gentle touch.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: body-mandala (ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa and aṅga-nyāsa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.197.14–15: karanyāsa followed by ṣaḍaṅga/aṅga-nyāsa; part of a larger protective/installation procedure

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of nyāsa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents nyāsa as a precise preparatory ritual—placing mantras on specific body parts and hands—to consecrate the practitioner’s body as fit for worship and mantra-japa.

How does this verse explain the correct sequence of mantra placement?

It indicates a structured order: starting from facial/bodily seats (āsyādi), then finger placement beginning with the little finger (kaniṣṭhādi), followed by heart and other aṅgas (hṛdādi), and finally śikhā and both hands.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before recitation or pūjā, follow a consistent nyāsa sequence (kara-nyāsa and aṅga-nyāsa) to improve focus, ritual correctness, and a sense of sanctity in practice.