Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

त्वामव सर्वगं विष्णुं गतो ऽहं शरणं गतः / ज्ञानदीपप्रदानेन तमोमुक्तं प्रकाशय

Transliteration

tvāmava sarvagaṃ viṣṇuṃ gato 'haṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ / jñānadīpapradānena tamomuktaṃ prakāśaya

Translation

Zu Dir allein bin ich gekommen—o Viṣṇu, der alles durchdringt—und habe bei Dir Zuflucht genommen. Durch die Gabe der Lampe wahren Wissens erleuchte mich, von der Finsternis befreit.

Word by Word

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अव: indeed/please
• अव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/निपात (particle; here as emphatic/pleading)

• सर्वगम्: all-pervading
• सर्वगम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वत्र गच्छति इति) विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्)

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• गतः: (I have) gone/approached
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त) — ‘gone/approached’ (अहं)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शरणम्: for refuge
• शरणम्: Gati/Goal (गति/प्राप्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as goal)

• गतः: gone (to)
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त) — पुनरुक्ति-बल (emphatic)

• ज्ञानदीपप्रदानेन: by the giving of the lamp of knowledge
• ज्ञानदीपप्रदानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + दीप (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला (ज्ञानस्य दीपः; तस्य प्रदानम्)

• तमोमुक्तम्: freed from darkness
• तमोमुक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुषः (तमसः मुक्तम् = freed from darkness) विशेषणम् (माम्—अध्याहृतम्)

• प्रकाशय: illumine, make manifest
• प्रकाशय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+√काश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd/मध्यम), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avidyā as darkness; jñāna as lamp granted by Vishnu through grace to reveal truth.

Vedantic Theme: Removal of avidyā by jñāna leading toward mokṣa; Īśvara as the giver of right knowledge (samyag-jñāna).

Application: Combine mantra-japa and study with prayer for clarity; treat insight as a gift to be cultivated through sāttvika living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: inner sacred space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.32.37 (exclusive savior); Garuda Purana 1.32.40 (meditation in the heart)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of taking refuge (śaraṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents śaraṇa-gati as the turning point where the seeker approaches Vishnu directly, asking for inner illumination rather than merely external rites.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames progress as a movement from tamas (ignorance/darkness) to prakāśa (illumination) through divinely granted jñāna, implying liberation is rooted in right understanding supported by devotion.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily study and contemplation of dharma with sincere devotion, treating spiritual knowledge as a “lamp” that guides ethical choices and reduces confusion and fear.