Shloka 21

Pañcatattva-Pūjā: The Fivefold Vyuha of Hari, Mantras, Nyāsa, Maṇḍala, and Stotra

Devanagari script

आसनं पूजयेत्पश्चादावाह्य विधिवन्नरः / द्वारे धातुर्विधातुश्च पूजा कार्या वृषध्वज

Transliteration

āsanaṃ pūjayetpaścādāvāhya vidhivannaraḥ / dvāre dhāturvidhātuśca pūjā kāryā vṛṣadhvaja

Translation

Nachdem man ordnungsgemäß eingeladen hat (āvāhana), soll der Mensch danach den āsana (Sitz) nach Vorschrift verehren. Am Eingang sind auch Dhātṛ und Vidhātṛ zu verehren—o Vṛṣadhvaja, Herr mit dem Stierbanner.

Word by Word

• āsanaṃ: the seat
• āsanaṃ: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsana (आसन)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• pūjayet: should worship
• pūjayet: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (पूज्)
• Form: Vidhi Lin (Optative), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (पश्चात्)
• Form: Adverb

• āvāhya: having invoked
• āvāhya: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āvah (आवह)
• Form: Gerund (Lyap)

• vidhivat: according to rule
• vidhivat: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhivat (विधिवत्)
• Form: Adverbial suffix

• naraḥ: the man (worshipper)
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (नर)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• dvāre: at the door/gate
• dvāre: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvāra (द्वार)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• dhātuḥ: of Dhata
• dhātuḥ: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhātṛ (धातृ)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• vidhātuḥ: of Vidhata
• vidhātuḥ: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhātṛ (विधातृ)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• pūjā: worship
• pūjā: Karma (Object in Passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (पूजा)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• kāryā: should be done
• kāryā: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (कृ)
• Form: Future Passive Participle (Nyat), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• vṛṣadhvaja: O Bull-bannered one (Shiva)
• vṛṣadhvaja: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣadhvaja (वृषध्वज)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual propriety (vidhi) includes honoring liminal spaces (doorway) and supports (āsana), acknowledging cosmic order (Dhātṛ/Vidhātṛ) before proceeding.

Vedantic Theme: Respect for ṛta/dharma as the harmonizing structure within which devotion is performed; outer order supports inner steadiness.

Application: In pūjā, after āvāhana, offer āsana; then worship dvāra-devatās/guardians before entering deeper upacāras—useful for home shrine discipline and mental ‘thresholding’ into sacred time.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual threshold (dvāra) and altar seat

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.32.19-20 (maṇḍala, nyāsa, mudrā, dhyāna)

Characters & Entities

• Dhātṛ
• Vidhātṛ
• Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of worshipping the āsana (seat) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that worship is sequential and rule-based: after invoking the deity, the worshipper honors the deity’s seat as part of proper pūjā-vidhi, reinforcing reverence and ritual completeness.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Rather than describing the afterlife directly, the verse highlights disciplined ritual order (vidhivat), which the Garuda Purana presents as dharmic practice that supports spiritual merit and right conduct.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow a mindful, step-by-step approach in worship: begin with invocation, maintain cleanliness and order, and honor thresholds/entryways as sacred—cultivating attention, reverence, and discipline in daily practice.