Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

प्रयश्चित्तान्यशेषाणि तपः कर्माणि यानि वै / विद्धि तेषामशेषाणां कृष्णानुस्मरणं परम्

Transliteration

prayaścittānyaśeṣāṇi tapaḥ karmāṇi yāni vai / viddhi teṣāmaśeṣāṇāṃ kṛṣṇānusmaraṇaṃ param

Translation

Wisse: Unter allen Sühnen (prāyaścitta) und allen asketischen Riten ist das Höchste, das alles überragt, das Gedenken an Krishna.

Word by Word

• प्रायश्चित्तानि: expiations
• प्रायश्चित्तानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रायः+चित्त)

• अशेषाणि: all, without remainder
• अशेषाणि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of प्रायश्चित्तानि/कर्माणि)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कर्माणि: acts, rites
• कर्माणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• यानि: which
• यानि: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधान/निश्चयार्थे

• विद्धि: know (you should know)
• विद्धि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तेषाम्: of those
• तेषाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अशेषाणाम्: of all (without remainder)
• अशेषाणाम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of तेषाम्)

• कृष्णानुस्मरणम्: remembrance of Krishna
• कृष्णानुस्मरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुस्मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कृष्णस्य अनुस्मरणम्)

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Among all prāyaścittas and tapas-karmas, Krishna-anusmaraṇa is the highest purifier and culmination.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti as direct sādhana that burns karma and steadies antaḥkaraṇa; inner remembrance surpasses merely external rites.

Application: Adopt daily Krishna-smaraṇa (japa, mental recollection, kīrtana) as the primary expiation alongside ethical correction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Pretakalpa/Dharmakāṇḍa sections) praising Viṣṇu-nāma as prāyaścitta; Garuda Purana passages on nāma-saṅkīrtana removing sins

Characters & Entities

• Krishna

FAQs

What is the importance of prayashchitta (expiation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that while many expiations and austerities exist, the Garuda Purana elevates devotion—specifically remembrance of Krishna—as the highest means of purification.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By prioritizing inner remembrance over mere external rites, the verse implies that the soul’s welfare and purification depend fundamentally on sustained divine recollection, which supports liberation-oriented consciousness.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Alongside ethical living and necessary duties, cultivate steady Krishna-smaraṇa—daily remembrance through japa, prayer, or mindful devotion—as a core practice for inner cleansing and restraint from wrongdoing.