Shloka 14

Hayagrīva Pūjāvidhi: Root Mantra, Nyāsa, Maṇḍala-Devatā Worship, and Stotra

Devanagari script

ततश्च दर्शयेन्मुद्रां शङ्खपद्मादिकां शुभाम् / ध्यायेद्ध्यात्वार्चयेद्विष्णुं मूलमन्त्रेण शङ्कर

Transliteration

tataśca darśayenmudrāṃ śaṅkhapadmādikāṃ śubhām / dhyāyeddhyātvārcayedviṣṇuṃ mūlamantreṇa śaṅkara

Translation

Dann soll man die glückverheißenden Mudrās zeigen, wie die der Muschel (Śaṅkha) und des Lotos (Padma); nach der Meditation verehre man Viṣṇu mit dem Wurzelmantra—o Śaṅkara.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/सम्बन्धबोधक): 'ततः' = thereafter/then

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक/संयोजक): and

• दर्शयेत्: should show
• दर्शयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense 'to show'

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

• शङ्खपद्मादिकाम्: (mudrā) of conch, lotus, etc.
• शङ्खपद्मादिकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṅkha + padma + ādika (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'शङ्ख-पद्म-आदिक' = conch, lotus, etc.; विशेषण (मुद्रां)

• शुभाम्: auspicious
• शुभाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (मुद्रां)

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhyai (ध्यै) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √dhyai (ध्यै) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund): having meditated

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arc (अर्च्) (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• मूलमन्त्रेण: with the root-mantra
• मूलमन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla + mantra (प्रातिपदिक-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; 'मूल-मन्त्र' = root mantra

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

Speaker

Likely Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction mode); verse addresses “Śaṅkara,” indicating a quoted/embedded address within the ritual teaching.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mudrā, dhyāna, and mūlamantra unify body–mind–speech in Viṣṇu worship.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-upāsanā as citta-śuddhi leading toward steadiness (ekāgratā) and śānti.

Application: Before pūjā, perform śaṅkha/padma mudrās, settle into brief dhyāna, then offer arcana while repeating the chosen Viṣṇu mūlamantra with attention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (pūjā-sthāna/maṇḍapa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.34 (pūjā-vidhi sequence: mudrā → āvāhana → maṇḍala-pūjā → dvāra-devatā)

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Śaṅkara

FAQs

What is the importance of mudrās like śaṅkha and padma in Garuḍa Purāṇa worship instructions?

This verse treats mudrā as part of correct ritual sequencing—auspicious seals (like conch and lotus) accompany meditation and prepare the practitioner for proper worship of Viṣṇu.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it emphasizes devotional discipline—dhyāna, mudrā, and mantra-based worship—which the text presents as supportive of spiritual purity and auspicious outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a clear order in practice: begin with focused meditation, use simple symbolic gestures (or mindful intention), and recite a core mantra consistently while performing worship.