Shloka 29

Nārāyaṇa-Smaraṇa as the Supreme Dharma, Expiation, and Yogic Purifier

Devanagari script

लाभस्तेषां जयस्तेषां कुतस्तेषां पराभवः / येषामिन्दीवरश्यामो हृदयस्थो जनार्दनः

Transliteration

lābhasteṣāṃ jayasteṣāṃ kutasteṣāṃ parābhavaḥ / yeṣāmindīvaraśyāmo hṛdayastho janārdanaḥ

Translation

Ihnen gehört der Gewinn, ihnen gehört der Sieg—wie könnte je die Niederlage ihnen gehören—wenn Janārdana, dunkel wie der blaue Lotus, fest in ihren Herzen wohnt.

Word by Word

• lābhaḥ: gain, profit
• lābhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• jayaḥ: victory
• jayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• kutaḥ: whence? how could there be?
• kutaḥ: Sambandha (Logical relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-निपात/क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative particle/adverb)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• parābhavaḥ: defeat, downfall
• parābhavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parābhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• yeṣām: of whom
• yeṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य-प्रयोग), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative)

• indīvaraśyāmaḥ: dark like a blue lotus
• indīvaraśyāmaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: indīvara (प्रातिपदिक) + śyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of जनार्दनः)

• hṛdayasthaḥ: dwelling in the heart
• hṛdayasthaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of जनार्दनः)

• janārdanaḥ: Janārdana (Vishnu)
• janārdanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Janardana), instructing Garuda (Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari dwelling in the heart grants unassailable success; inner devotion becomes the source of victory and freedom from defeat.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin (the indwelling Lord) and bhakti as protective power; alignment of citta with Bhagavān yields fearlessness.

Application: Daily heart-centered remembrance (smaraṇa) of Janārdana—japa, dhyāna, and offering intentions before action to cultivate steadiness and confidence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Uttara/Preta-related sections): repeated emphasis that Viṣṇu-smaraṇa protects at death and in afterlife passages; Garuda Purana: bhakti as the sure refuge (śaraṇāgati) motif across devotional chapters

Characters & Entities

• Janardana
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of keeping Janardana in the heart in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that inner remembrance and devotion to Lord Vishnu becomes the source of true gain and victory, making spiritual downfall unlikely.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey and fear of death mentioned in Garuda Purana themes?

By emphasizing the indwelling Lord, it points to inner refuge and steadiness—qualities that support the jīva during transitions, reducing fear and confusion associated with death and the afterlife.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily remembrance (nāma-japa, prayer, ethical living) so that devotion becomes internalized; this builds resilience, clarity, and dharmic strength in adversity.