Shloka 18

Dāna for the Preta: Supreme Gifts, Yama’s Pacification, and Viṣṇu-Smaraṇa at the Time of Death

Devanagari script

विष्णोः स्मरणमात्रेण प्राप्यते परमा गतिः / एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं मर्त्यैर्या गतिराप्यते

Transliteration

viṣṇoḥ smaraṇamātreṇa prāpyate paramā gatiḥ / etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ martyairyā gatirāpyate

Translation

Schon durch das bloße Gedenken an Herrn Viṣṇu wird das höchste Ziel erlangt. So habe ich dir vollständig die Bestimmung dargelegt, die Sterbliche erreichen.

Word by Word

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• smaraṇa-mātreṇa: by mere remembrance
• smaraṇa-mātreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्मरणस्य मात्रम्)

• prāpyate: is attained
• prāpyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

• paramā: supreme
• paramā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गतिः)

• gatiḥ: destination/attainment
• gatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपे (this)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) 'तुभ्यम्' अर्थे

• sarvam: all (of it)
• sarvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'एतत्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्/समुच्चयार्थे

• ākhyātam: has been explained
• ākhyātam: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-khyā (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (Past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि (has been told)

• martyaiḥ: by mortals
• martyaiḥ: Karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• yā: which
• yā: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun) विशेषणम् (गतिः)

• gatiḥ: destination
• gatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• āpyate: is attained
• āpyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vainateya)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Moksha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu-smaraṇa alone is sufficient for attaining the supreme destination; devotion eclipses fear and karmic bargaining.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha and nāma-smaraṇa as direct means; movement from karma-kāṇḍa supports to parā-bhakti leading toward mokṣa.

Application: Adopt daily remembrance: japa, kīrtana, mindful recollection at transitions (waking, meals, sleep), and especially at life’s end; keep the mind anchored in the divine name during distress.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: supreme abode/state (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.30.14–17: dāna-based protections; 2.30.18: culmination in Viṣṇu-smaraṇa as highest means

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Mortals (Martya)

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu-smaraṇa (remembering Vishnu) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even mere remembrance of Viṣṇu leads to the supreme gati, presenting bhakti-based recollection as a direct means to the highest post-death attainment.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

Within the Preta Kanda’s afterlife framework, it emphasizes that beyond ritual and karmic consequences, remembrance of Viṣṇu is a decisive spiritual support that leads to the highest destination for mortals.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily Viṣṇu-smaraṇa—japa, nāma-saṅkīrtana, and mindful remembrance—so that at critical moments (including death), the mind naturally turns to the divine rather than fear or confusion.