Shloka 61

Acyuta/Vāsudeva Stotra: Avatāra-Salutations, Ritual Totality, Forgiveness Prayer, and Phalaśruti

Devanagari script

निखिलभुवन नाथं शाश्वतं सुप्रसन्नं त्वतिविमलविशुद्धं निर्गुणं भवपुष्पैः / सुखमुदितसमस्तं पूजयाम्यात्मभावं विशतु हृदयपद्मे सर्वसाक्षी चिदात्मा

Transliteration

nikhilabhuvana nāthaṃ śāśvataṃ suprasannaṃ tvativimalaviśuddhaṃ nirguṇaṃ bhavapuṣpaiḥ / sukhamuditasamastaṃ pūjayāmyātmabhāvaṃ viśatu hṛdayapadme sarvasākṣī cidātmā

Translation

Mit den Blumen weltlicher Hingabe verehre ich den Herrn aller Welten—ewig und überaus gnädig—völlig makellos und vollkommen rein, jenseits aller Eigenschaften (nirguṇa). Ich verehre diese allselige, stets freudige Wirklichkeit als mein innerstes Selbst. Möge der bewusste Ātman, der Zeuge von allem, in den Lotus meines Herzens eintreten und dort verweilen.

Word by Word

• निखिलभुवननाथम्: lord of all worlds
• निखिलभुवननाथम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निखिल + भुवन + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: निखिलानां भुवनानां नाथः

• शाश्वतम्: eternal
• शाश्वतम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'नाथम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सुप्रसन्नम्: very gracious/serene
• सुप्रसन्नम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'नाथम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अतिविमलविशुद्धम्: exceedingly spotless and pure
• अतिविमलविशुद्धम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + विमल + विशुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (अतिविमलश्च विशुद्धश्च)

• निर्गुणम्: without (material) qualities
• निर्गुणम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'नाथम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भवपुष्पैः: with flowers of worldly existence
• भवपुष्पैः: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: भवस्य (संसारस्य) पुष्पैः

• सुखम्: happy/joyful
• सुखम्: Qualifier (in compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'समस्तम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (in compound)

• उदित: arisen
• उदित: Qualifier (in compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP) 'उदित'; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• समस्तम्: all (fully) manifested
• समस्तम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'सुखमुदितसमस्तम्' इति कर्मधारयवत् बहुपदसमासः

• पूजयामि: I worship
• पूजयामि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आत्मभावम्: with inner devotion/one’s own being
• आत्मभावम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्म + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: आत्मनः भावः (inner disposition/essence)

• विशतु: may (he) enter
• विशतु: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• हृदयपद्मे: in the lotus of the heart
• हृदयपद्मे: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: हृदयस्य पद्मे

• सर्वसाक्षी: witness of all
• सर्वसाक्षी: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• चिदात्मा: the consciousness-self
• चिदात्मा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित् + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयवत्: चित् एव आत्मा यस्य

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (as the teaching voice within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worship of the nirguṇa, supremely pure Lord through inner devotion; recognition of Him as one’s own ātman; invitation for the sākṣī-cidātman to abide in the heart.

Vedantic Theme: Nirguṇa Brahman language integrated with Īśvara-bhakti; ātma-bhāva (seeing the Lord as the inmost Self) bridging devotion and nondual contemplation.

Application: Practice mānasa-pūjā: offer ‘flowers’ of virtues (truth, compassion, restraint); meditate on the witness in the heart; repeat a prayer of indwelling before japa/meditation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Geographic Context

Type: inner sacred locus

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana devotional stotras that prescribe inner worship and pāpa-kṣaya through remembrance (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Cidatma (Conscious Self)
• Nikhilabhuvana-natha (Lord of all worlds)

FAQs

What is the importance of nirguṇa (beyond qualities) worship in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the highest worship as recognizing the Lord as stainless, beyond the guṇas, and approachable through inner devotion—pointing to liberation-oriented bhakti that culminates in Self-realization.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It emphasizes turning inward to the sarva-sākṣī (witness of all) as the true Self; such inward anchoring is presented as the stabilizing spiritual practice that supports freedom from worldly becoming (bhava).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Offer daily actions as “bhava-puṣpa” (flowers of life) with sincerity, and practice heart-centered meditation—invoking the witnessing awareness to dwell steadily in the mind and guide ethical, calm living.