Shloka 36

Bhakti-māhātmya: The Marks of the Vaiṣṇava and the Liberating Power of Exclusive Devotion

Devanagari script

शरमं तं प्रपन्ना ये ध्यानयोगविवर्जिताः / ते ऽपि मृत्युमतिक्रम्य यान्ति तद्वैष्णवं पदम्

Transliteration

śaramaṃ taṃ prapannā ye dhyānayogavivarjitāḥ / te 'pi mṛtyumatikramya yānti tadvaiṣṇavaṃ padam

Translation

Selbst jene, die der Disziplin des Dhyāna-Yoga entbehren, aber bei Ihm (dem Herrn) Zuflucht nehmen, überschreiten den Tod und gelangen zu jener vaiṣṇavischen Wohnstatt.

Word by Word

• शरम्: refuge; shelter
• शरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• तम्: him; that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रपन्नाः: having taken refuge; surrendered
• प्रपन्नाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-√पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ये इति)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• ध्यानयोगविवर्जिताः: devoid of meditation and yoga
• ध्यानयोगविवर्जिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक) + वि-√वर्ज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: समासः (ध्यानयोग-विवर्जित = ध्यानयोगेन विवर्जित), भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ये इति)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/also)

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अतिक्रम्य: having crossed over; transcending
• अतिक्रम्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति-√क्रम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• यान्ति: go; attain
• यान्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पदम् इति)

• वैष्णवम्: of Viṣṇu; Vaiṣṇava
• वैष्णवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पदम् इति)

• पदम्: abode; state; position
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) grants mokṣa even to those lacking formal dhyāna-yoga discipline.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti as an efficacious upāya; divine grace overriding limited sādhana; death (mṛtyu) is crossed by surrender to the Supreme.

Application: Cultivate daily refuge-prayer and remembrance of Viṣṇu; emphasize sincerity of surrender over self-judgment about imperfect practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Uttara/Preta-khaṇḍa themes): nāma-smaraṇa and śaraṇāgati as liberative means (general doctrinal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Mrityu (Death)

FAQs

What is the importance of surrender (prapatti) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that taking refuge in the Lord is powerful enough to lead even non-meditators beyond death to the Vaiṣṇava abode, emphasizing grace through surrender.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

It frames liberation as ‘crossing over death’ (mṛtyum atikramya) through refuge in Viṣṇu, indicating that devotion can override limitations like lack of dhyāna-yoga.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate sincere devotion and ethical living with conscious refuge in God—regular remembrance, prayer, and humility—rather than relying only on advanced meditative techniques.