Shloka 23

Viṣṇu-pūjāvidhi: Śuddhi, Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Āsana-devatā Pūjā, Upacāras, and Stotra

Devanagari script

एभिमन्त्रैर्महादेव पूज्या अङ्गादयो नरैः / पूजयित्वा महात्मानं विष्णुं ब्रह्मस्वरूपिणम्

Transliteration

ebhimantrairmahādeva pūjyā aṅgādayo naraiḥ / pūjayitvā mahātmānaṃ viṣṇuṃ brahmasvarūpiṇam

Translation

O Mahādeva, mit diesen Mantras sollten die Menschen die (göttlichen) Glieder und verwandten Aspekte verehren; und nachdem sie so den großbeseelten Viṣṇu verehrt haben – dessen wahre Gestalt Brahman ist – (sollten sie im Ritus fortfahren).

Word by Word

• ebhiḥ: by these
• ebhiḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• mantraiḥ: by mantras
• mantraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• mahādeva: O Great God (Shiva)
• mahādeva: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (Sambodhana), Singular

• pūjyāḥ: to be worshipped
• pūjyāḥ: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive (Nyat), Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• aṅgādayaḥ: limbs and others
• aṅgādayaḥ: Karma (Object in passive construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅgādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• naraiḥ: by men
• naraiḥ: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• pūjayitvā: having worshipped
• pūjayitvā: Purvakala Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: Ktva Pratyaya (Gerund)

• mahātmānam: the great soul
• mahātmānam: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• viṣṇum: Vishnu
• viṣṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• brahmasvarūpiṇam: whose nature is Brahman
• brahmasvarūpiṇam: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahmasvarūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda; addressing Mahadeva within the verse)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu is Brahman in form (brahmasvarupin); worship of limbs/attributes is a gateway to realizing the supreme.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-to-nirguna bridge: arcana supports the insight that the worshipped Lord is identical with Brahman.

Application: After completing angapuja with the given mantras, consciously contemplate the deity as Brahman—let ritual culminate in inner stillness and non-dual reverence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual conclusion space (puja-sthana)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.31.22 (the mantras referred to)

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva (Shiva)
• Vishnu
• Brahman

FAQs

What is the importance of mantra-based worship in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames worship as a disciplined mantra-led practice, including honoring the deity’s aṅgas (limbs/aspects), culminating in devotion to Viṣṇu understood as Brahman.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing Viṣṇu as brahma-svarūpa (Brahman in form), it points to liberation-oriented devotion—ritual worship that is meant to mature into knowledge and God-realization.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform daily prayer with clear mantras, treat worship as systematic (including respectful aṅga-upacāras), and remember the spiritual goal: seeing the Divine as the ultimate reality (Brahman).