Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

आवाह्य मण्डले देवं कृत्वा न्यासं तु तस्य च / मुद्रां प्रदर्श्य पाद्यदीन्दद्यान्मूलेन शङ्कर

Transliteration

āvāhya maṇḍale devaṃ kṛtvā nyāsaṃ tu tasya ca / mudrāṃ pradarśya pādyadīndadyānmūlena śaṅkara

Translation

Nachdem die Gottheit in das rituelle Maṇḍala herbeigerufen und für Ihn der Nyāsa vollzogen wurde, soll Śaṅkara die vorgeschriebenen Mudrās zeigen und mit dem Wurzelmantra die rituellen Darbringungen beginnend mit Pādya (Wasser zum Waschen der Füße) und die übrigen spenden.

Word by Word

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + वह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having invoked/brought’

• मण्डले: in the maṇḍala
• मण्डले: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having done’

• न्यासम्: nyāsa (ritual placement)
• न्यासम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle)

• तस्य: of that (deity)
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of him/its’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/and)

• मुद्राम्: mudrā (hand-gesture)
• मुद्राम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रदर्श्य: having shown
• प्रदर्श्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having shown’

• पाद्यादीन्: pādya and other offerings
• पाद्यादीन्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; ‘pādya etc.’ (आदि-समास/collection)

• दद्यात्: should offer/give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should give’

• मूलेन: with the root-mantra
• मूलेन: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘with/by the root (mantra)’

• शङ्कर: O Śaṅkara
• शङ्कर: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda, describing proper ritual procedure)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Deity-presence is ritually welcomed (āvāhana) and stabilized through nyāsa and mudrā before offerings.

Vedantic Theme: Saguṇa-upāsanā: the Absolute approached as present and receivable through name, form, and mantra.

Application: Begin pūjā with āvāhana, perform nyāsa to align speech/body/mind, then use prescribed mudrās and offer upacāras with the root-mantra.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual_space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.32.27 (sthāna-krama in maṇḍala); Garuda Purana 1.32.29 (upacāra list and japa-samarpaṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Deva (invoked deity)
• Shankara (as ritual officiant/addressee)

FAQs

What is the importance of āvāhana and nyāsa in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse places āvāhana (invoking the deity) and nyāsa (mantra-installation) as foundational steps before any offerings, ensuring the worship is properly consecrated and directed to the invoked presence.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it teaches correct liturgical procedure—invocation, nyāsa, mudrā, and upacāras—which in the Garuda Purana context supports dharmic rites often connected with purification and merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing pūjā, begin with a clear invocation, follow with a simple nyāsa (as per one’s tradition), maintain mindful gestures/intent (mudrā), and offer basic upacāras like water respectfully while reciting the main mantra.