Shloka 6

Devanagari script

मुहूर्तमपि यो ध्यायेन्नारायणमतन्द्रितः / सो ऽपि स्वर्गतिमाप्नोति किं पुनस्तत्परायणः

Transliteration

muhūrtamapi yo dhyāyennārāyaṇamatandritaḥ / so 'pi svargatimāpnoti kiṃ punastatparāyaṇaḥ

Translation

Selbst wer nur für einen einzigen muhūrta Nārāyaṇa in unermüdlicher Sammlung betrachtet, erlangt den Weg zum Himmel—wie viel mehr erst, wer Ihm ganz hingegeben ist.

Word by Word

• मुहूर्तम्: a moment (muhūrta)
• मुहूर्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (time-measure)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अपि=even/also

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative)

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• नारायणम्: Narayana
• नारायणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अतन्द्रितः: unwearied, attentive
• अतन्द्रितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतन्द्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of यः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपवादार्थे

• स्वर्गतिम्: the path/state of heaven
• स्वर्गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वर्गस्य गतिः)

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• किम्: what (how much more)
• किम्: Avyaya (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• पुनः: again; rather
• पुनः: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरुक्ति/अधिक्यार्थे (again; rather)

• तत्परायणः: one devoted to Him
• तत्परायणः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तस्मिन् परायणः = devoted to Him)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa) instructing Garuḍa

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even brief, attentive meditation on Nārāyaṇa yields svarga-gati; full dedication yields far greater results.

Vedantic Theme: Power of ekāgratā and īśvara-smaraṇa; bhakti/dhyāna as karma-transcending merit and mind-purification.

Application: Set a daily fixed window (even 10–20 minutes) of focused Nārāyaṇa-dhyāna; cultivate steadiness (atandrita) rather than duration alone.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana praise of Viṣṇu-dhyāna and nāma as granting higher lokas and protection

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the importance of meditating on Nārāyaṇa in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse states that even brief, attentive meditation on Nārāyaṇa yields a heavenly destiny, highlighting bhakti as a powerful purifier and protector.

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

It links remembrance/meditation on the Divine with an elevated post-death trajectory (svargagati), implying that inner devotion shapes one’s destination beyond death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Set aside a focused daily period—even a short one—for Nārāyaṇa-smaraṇa (remembrance) or japa, emphasizing attention and sincerity over duration.