Shloka 53

Viṣṇv-ekapūjya-nirṇaya; Gaṅgā-Viṣṇupadī-māhātmya; Kali-yuga doṣa; Puṣkara-dharma of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

यज्ञोपवीतस्य च धारणे तु नारायणं वामनाख्यं स्मरेत्तु / आर्तिक्यकाले च तथैव विष्णोः सम्यक् स्मरेत्पर्शुरामाख्यविष्णुम्

Transliteration

yajñopavītasya ca dhāraṇe tu nārāyaṇaṃ vāmanākhyaṃ smarettu / ārtikyakāle ca tathaiva viṣṇoḥ samyak smaretparśurāmākhyaviṣṇum

Translation

Beim Anlegen des yajñopavīta, des heiligen Fadens, soll man Nārāyaṇa als Vāmana gedenken. Ebenso soll man zur Zeit des ārati für Viṣṇu Viṣṇu in rechter Weise als Paraśurāma vergegenwärtigen.

Word by Word

• यज्ञोपवीतस्य: of the sacred thread
• यज्ञोपवीतस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ-उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासः—यज्ञस्य उपवीतम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• धारणे: at the wearing/putting on
• धारणे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधसूचक-अव्यय (particle)

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• वामनाख्यम्: named Vāmana
• वामनाख्यम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वामन-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—वामन इति आख्यः (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः); ‘नारायणम्’ विशेषयति

• स्मरेत्: should remember
• स्मरेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थ-अव्यय (particle)

• आर्तिक्यकाले: at the time of ārati
• आर्तिक्यकाले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्तिक्य-काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—आर्तिक्यस्य कालः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थ-अव्यय (particle: just/indeed)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: properly)

• स्मरेत्: should remember
• स्मरेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• पर्शुरामाख्यविष्णुम्: Viṣṇu known as Paraśurāma
• पर्शुरामाख्यविष्णुम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्शुराम-आख्य-विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—पर्शुराम इति आख्यः (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः) + विष्णुः (सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Assigning specific avatāra-remembrance to ritual moments: Vāmana with sacred thread, Paraśurāma with Viṣṇu-ārati.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-brahman upāsanā: approaching the One through many forms; karma becomes upāsanā when joined to smṛti.

Application: When donning yajñopavīta, meditate on Nārāyaṇa as Vāmana (humility, dharma-restoration); during ārati, recollect Viṣṇu as Paraśurāma (righteous force against adharma).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: home shrine/temple space; saṃskāra setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.29 (avatāra-name prescriptions across daily rites)

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Vamana
• Vishnu
• Parashurama

FAQs

What is the importance of remembering specific Vishnu forms during rituals in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that ritual acts become spiritually aligned when paired with smaraṇa (remembrance) of the appropriate form of Nārāyaṇa—here, Vāmana for yajñopavīta-dhāraṇa and Paraśurāma during Viṣṇu-ārati.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader dharma teaching?

Within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue, it presents practical nitya-karma: correct external observance (thread-wearing, ārati) joined to inner devotion through mindful recollection of Viṣṇu’s avatāras.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

During sacred-thread wearing or renewal, consciously invoke Vāmana; during Viṣṇu ārati, remember Paraśurāma—using brief mental remembrance or a simple name-recitation to keep worship attentive and dharmic.