Shloka 63
Haristuti-saṅgraha: Devatā–Ṛṣi Praṇāma, Nāma-māhātmya, and Vairāgya from Deha-āsakti
क्रतुरुवाच / प्राणप्रयाणसमये भगवंस्तवैव नामानि संसृतिजदुः खविनाशकानि / येनैकजन्मशमलं सहसैव हित्वा संयाति मुक्तिममलां तमहं प्रपद्ये
kraturuvāca / prāṇaprayāṇasamaye bhagavaṃstavaiva nāmāni saṃsṛtijaduḥ khavināśakāni / yenaikajanmaśamalaṃ sahasaiva hitvā saṃyāti muktimamalāṃ tamahaṃ prapadye
Kratu sprach: In dem Augenblick, da der Lebenshauch scheidet, o Bhagavān, sind es wahrlich Deine Namen, die die Leiden vernichten, die aus dem Umherirren im Saṁsāra geboren sind. Durch sie wirft man sogleich den Makel auch nur eines einzigen Lebens ab und erlangt makellose Befreiung. Zu diesem Herrn nehme ich Zuflucht.
Kratu (a sage/ṛṣi)
Afterlife Stage: Moksha
Concept: Viṣṇu-nāma at the time of death destroys saṃsāra-born sorrow and burns karmic stain, granting stainless liberation.
Vedantic Theme: Nāma as upāya (means) for mokṣa; antaḥkāla-smṛti; grace-mediated purification overriding accumulated mala.
Application: Establish daily nāma-japa so it arises naturally at death; keep a simple practice (e.g., 108 repetitions) and cultivate remembrance during crises.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: deathbed/liminal threshold
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated teaching that Viṣṇu-smaraṇa/nāma at death protects the jīva on the Yama-path and leads to higher gati
FAQs
This verse states that the Lord’s names destroy the sufferings born of saṁsāra and can remove the stain of a lifetime, leading the departing soul toward pure liberation.
It emphasizes that remembrance/utterance of the Lord’s names at the moment the life-breath leaves becomes a decisive spiritual support, severing karmic impurity and directing one toward moksha rather than continued wandering.
Cultivate daily nāma-smaraṇa (repetition/remembering of divine names) so that, even in crisis or at life’s end, the mind naturally turns to the Lord with surrender.