Shloka 38

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

विश्वरूपं तमेवैकमिति ज्ञात्वा विमुञ्चति / ओङ्कारं परमं ब्रह्म ध्यायेदब्जस्थितं विभुम्

Transliteration

viśvarūpaṃ tamevaikamiti jñātvā vimuñcati / oṅkāraṃ paramaṃ brahma dhyāyedabjasthitaṃ vibhum

Translation

Wer erkennt, dass allein der Eine jene kosmische Wirklichkeit in allen Gestalten ist, wird befreit. Man soll die Silbe Oṁ als das höchste Brahman meditieren — den allgegenwärtigen Herrn, der im Lotus (des Herzens) weilt.

Word by Word

• विश्वरूपम्: the universal form
• विश्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (विश्वं रूपं यस्य तत्/विश्वं रूपम्)

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

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• एकम्: one (alone)
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तम् इति)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (Adverbial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; धातुः ज्ञा (जानाति)

• विमुञ्चति: releases/lets go
• विमुञ्चति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ओङ्कारम्: the syllable Oṃ (Oṅkāra)
• ओङ्कारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्म)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (Injunctive/विधेय क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अब्जस्थितम्: situated in the lotus
• अब्जस्थितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अब्ज-स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; स्थित = स्था धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (विभुम्/ब्रह्म); समासः तत्पुरुषः (अब्जे स्थितम्)

• विभुम्: the all-pervading Lord
• विभुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Realizing the One cosmic Reality (viśvarūpa) and meditating on Oṁ as Parabrahman leads to release (vimukti).

Vedantic Theme: Brahman as Oṁ; nondual recognition (eka-tattva-jñāna) with contemplative upāsanā culminating in liberation.

Application: Daily japa/meditation on Oṁ, visualizing the Lord seated in the heart-lotus; cultivate steady recognition that the many-formed cosmos is the One.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: inner sacred locus (yogic subtle center)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.39-42 (A-U-M, guṇa-maṇḍalas, heart-lotus visualization)

Characters & Entities

• Om (Oṅkāra)
• Brahman
• Vishnu (Vibhu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Oṅkāra (Om) in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Oṅkāra as the Supreme Brahman itself; meditating on Om is taught as a direct means to liberation through realization of the One Reality.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames release not primarily as a journey through realms, but as freedom attained by knowledge of the One cosmic Reality and steady meditation on Om in the heart-lotus.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate non-dual understanding (seeing the One in all) and adopt a daily Om-focused meditation, inwardly contemplating the all-pervading Lord in the heart.