Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

ग्रासेग्रासे स्मरणं चैव कार्यं गोविन्दसंज्ञस्य विशुद्धमन्नम् / एकैकभक्ष्यग्रहणस्य काले सम्यक् स्मरेदच्युतं वै खगेन्द्र

Transliteration

grāsegrāse smaraṇaṃ caiva kāryaṃ govindasaṃjñasya viśuddhamannam / ekaikabhakṣyagrahaṇasya kāle samyak smaredacyutaṃ vai khagendra

Translation

Bei jedem Bissen soll man wahrlich das Gedenken üben und reine Speise zu sich nehmen, die im Namen Govindas dargebracht wurde. Beim Nehmen jeder einzelnen Speise gedenke man recht des unvergänglichen Herrn Acyuta, o Khagendra (Garuda).

Word by Word

• ग्रासे: in a morsel
• ग्रासे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (locative of time/occasion)

• ग्रासे: in each morsel
• ग्रासे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication: ‘morsel by morsel’)

• स्मरणम्: remembrance
• स्मरणम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक; √स्मृ धातु-जन्य नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कार्यम्: to be done/should be done
• कार्यम्: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ धातु-जन्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicative: ‘to be done’)

• गोविन्द-संज्ञस्य: of (the one) named Govinda
• गोविन्द-संज्ञस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोविन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘गोविन्द-नामकस्य’

• विशुद्धम्: pure
• विशुद्धम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मविशेषण

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एक-एक-भक्ष्य-ग्रहणस्य: of taking each item of food
• एक-एक-भक्ष्य-ग्रहणस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक; √ग्रह्)
• Form: समाससमूहः (determinative chain); षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (ग्रहणस्य); ‘प्रत्येक-भक्ष्य-ग्रहणस्य’

• काले: at the time
• काले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समये

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

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

• अच्युतम्: Acyuta (Vishnu)
• अच्युतम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; देवतानाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• खगेन्द्र: O king of birds (Garuda)
• खगेन्द्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (खगानाम् इन्द्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Grāse-grāse nāma-smaraṇa—continuous remembrance of Viṣṇu while taking pure food offered in Govinda’s name.

Vedantic Theme: Smṛti as sādhana: turning daily karma into īśvara-arpita action; purity (śuddha-anna) supports sattva and steady remembrance.

Application: Before and during meals, mentally offer each bite to Govinda; eat slowly, with one-pointed recollection of Acyuta; keep food and mind ‘śuddha’ (clean, non-harming, grateful).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.29 (bhojana-smaraṇa sequence: mapping foods to Viṣṇu-nāmas)

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Acyuta
• Garuda (Khagendra)

FAQs

What is the importance of remembering Govinda while eating in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that eating becomes a sacred act when each morsel is accompanied by remembrance of Vishnu (Govinda/Acyuta), making food “purified” through mindful devotion rather than mere consumption.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana’s broader themes of afterlife and dharma?

The Preta Kanda repeatedly emphasizes disciplined living and purity of conduct; continual Vishnu-smriti is presented as a protective, merit-generating practice that supports dharma and spiritual steadiness—key concerns in afterlife-oriented teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before and during meals, pause briefly to remember Vishnu (e.g., silently repeating “Govinda” or “Acyuta”) and choose clean, ethically obtained food—turning routine eating into a daily devotional discipline.