Shloka 64

Haristuti-saṅgraha: Devatā–Ṛṣi Praṇāma, Nāma-māhātmya, and Vairāgya from Deha-āsakti

Devanagari script

ये भक्त्या विवशा विष्णो नाममात्रैकदजल्पकाः / तेपि मुक्तिं प्रयान्त्याशु किमुत ध्यायिनः सदा

Transliteration

ye bhaktyā vivaśā viṣṇo nāmamātraikadajalpakāḥ / tepi muktiṃ prayāntyāśu kimuta dhyāyinaḥ sadā

Translation

O Viṣṇu, selbst jene, die von Hingabe überwältigt sind und Deinen Namen nur ein einziges Mal aussprechen, gelangen rasch zur Befreiung—wie viel mehr erst jene, die Dich stets in Meditation betrachten.

Word by Word

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); relative pronoun

• bhaktyā: by devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• vivaśāḥ: overpowered/helpless
• vivaśāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vivaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• viṣṇo: O Viṣṇu
• viṣṇo: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• nāma-mātra-eka-dā-jalpakāḥ: uttering only the name, even once
• nāma-mātra-eka-dā-jalpakāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक ‘दा’=once) + jalpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (those who utter merely the name just once)

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• api: even/also
• api: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) meaning ‘also/even’

• muktim: liberation
• muktim: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• prayānti: attain/go to
• prayānti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-yā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• kim: what (then)
• kim: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Interrogative particle used idiomatically in ‘kim uta’

• uta: indeed/then (in ‘how much more’)
• uta: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uta (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) in phrase ‘kim uta’ = ‘how much more’

• dhyāyinaḥ: meditators
• dhyāyinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhyāyin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even one sincere utterance of Viṣṇu’s Name can grant liberation; sustained dhyāna is even more potent.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-brahma and grace (anugraha) overriding quantitative merit; bhakti as direct means to mokṣa.

Application: Begin with one mindful utterance daily (with feeling), then expand to regular japa and meditation; emphasize sincerity over complexity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: nāma-mahātmyas and assurances of quick deliverance through Hari-smaraṇa

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu-nāma (chanting the Name of Vishnu) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even a single utterance of Viṣṇu’s Name, when driven by genuine devotion, can lead swiftly to liberation, showing nāma-smarana as a direct and powerful means to mokṣa.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation?

It presents devotion and remembrance of Viṣṇu as the liberating force: if even one heartfelt utterance frees a person, then steady meditation (continuous dhyāna) is portrayed as an even surer, higher-intensity path to mokṣa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily nāma-japa (repetition of “Viṣṇu” or related names) and regular dhyāna; even brief, sincere remembrance during stress, fear, or transition is encouraged as spiritually transformative.