Shloka 21

Mahāyoga: Detachment from ‘I/Mine’, Aṣṭāṅga Practice, Oṁkāra and Aham-Brahmāsmi Contemplation

Devanagari script

प्राङ्नाड्यां हृदये चात्र तृतीया च तथोरसि / कण्ठे मुखे ना सिकाग्रे नेत्रे भ्रूमध्यमूर्धसु

Transliteration

prāṅnāḍyāṃ hṛdaye cātra tṛtīyā ca tathorasi / kaṇṭhe mukhe nā sikāgre netre bhrūmadhyamūrdhasu

Translation

Hier, in der nach vorn strömenden Nāḍī, befindet sich das Herz; das dritte Zentrum liegt ebenso in der Brust. Ferner sind die Lebenspunkte im Hals, im Mund, an der Nasenspitze, in den Augen, zwischen den Augenbrauen und am Scheitel des Hauptes.

Word by Word

• प्राक्-नाड्याम्: in the anterior nāḍī (channel)
• प्राक्-नाड्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय) + नाडी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावसमासः (प्राक् + नाडी) = ‘पूर्वदिशि स्थितायां नाड्याम्’

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• तृतीया: the third (dhāraṇā)
• तृतीया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-शब्दः (the ‘third’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘likewise/so’)

• उरसि: in the chest
• उरसि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• कण्ठे: in the throat
• कण्ठे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• मुखे: in the mouth
• मुखे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• नासिका-अग्रे: at the tip of the nose
• नासिका-अग्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासिका (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नासिकायाः अग्रे)

• नेत्रे: in the eye(s)
• नेत्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (स्थाने-एकवचनप्रयोगः)

• भ्रू-मध्य-मूर्धसु: on the crown (of the head) at the middle of the eyebrows
• भ्रू-मध्य-मूर्धसु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (भ्रुवोः मध्ये मूर्धसु)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharanā-supports (ādhāra) in the subtle body: heart, chest, throat, mouth, nose-tip, eyes, brow-center, crown—used to stabilize prāṇa and mind.

Vedantic Theme: Antar-yāga: using the body-mind as an instrument to transcend it; preparation for ātma-jñāna through ekāgratā.

Application: In meditation, choose one locus (e.g., bhrūmadhya or hṛdaya), keep posture steady, and gently return attention to that point with the breath until attention becomes continuous.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: subtle-body locus (nāḍī/centers)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.226.22-25 (tenfold dhāraṇā; Oṃkāra as Brahman)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Nāḍī

FAQs

What is the importance of nāḍīs and vital centers in the Garuda Purana?

This verse maps key inner locations (heart, chest, throat, nose-tip, eyes, brow-center, crown) used to explain how prāṇa and awareness operate in the subtle body—an essential framework for understanding death-transition and post-death teachings in the Garuda Purana.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death?

By identifying specific subtle-body loci, the text supports the broader Garuda Purana narrative that the departing life-force and consciousness follow defined inner pathways; these descriptions underpin later explanations of how the jīva experiences transition, rites, and after-death states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a contemplative map for disciplined living—prayer, breath-awareness, and ethical conduct—so the mind remains steady at vital centers (especially heart/brow/crown), aligning one’s life with dharma and preparing for a peaceful end-of-life transition.