Shloka 6

Navavyūha-pūjāvidhi: Bhūta-śuddhi, Nyāsa, Yogapīṭha, Maṇḍala-racanā, Mudrā-prayoga

Devanagari script

षडङ्गेन ततः कुर्यात्साक्षाद्येन हरिर्भवेत् / दक्षिणाङ्गुष्ठमारभ्य मध्याङ्गुष्ठन्दले न्यसेत्

Transliteration

ṣaḍaṅgena tataḥ kuryātsākṣādyena harirbhavet / dakṣiṇāṅguṣṭhamārabhya madhyāṅguṣṭhandale nyaset

Translation

Then one should perform the sixfold nyāsa (ṣaḍaṅga), by which Hari becomes directly manifest. Beginning with the right thumb, one should place the mantra-power in the maṇḍala-circle of the middle thumb.

Word by Word

• षडङ्गेन: with the six-limbed (nyāsa)
• षडङ्गेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्-अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; षट् + अङ्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (षड् अङ्गानि यस्य/षडङ्गम्)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम-वाचक

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साक्षाद्येन: by that which is direct/manifest
• साक्षाद्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साक्षात्-य (प्रातिपदिक; साक्षात् + य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (षडङ्गेन/न्यासेन) अर्थे ‘साक्षात्-रूपेण’

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become/should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दक्षिणाङ्गुष्ठम्: the right thumb
• दक्षिणाङ्गुष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण-अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; दक्षिण + अङ्गुष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (दक्षिणः अङ्गुष्ठः)

• आरभ्य: starting from
• आरभ्य: Apadana (Point of departure/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘starting from’

• मध्याङ्गुष्ठमण्डले: in the circle/region of the middle thumb
• मध्याङ्गुष्ठमण्डले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य-अङ्गुष्ठ-मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक; मध्य + अङ्गुष्ठ + मण्डल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मध्यस्य अङ्गुष्ठस्य मण्डले)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√अस्/न्यस् (धातु; causative sense ‘to place’)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa as a means for sākṣāt-bhāva—cultivating immediacy of Hari’s presence through embodied mantra.

Vedantic Theme: Saguṇa-upāsanā as a practical doorway to inner clarity; īśvara-pratyakṣatā as experiential fruit of disciplined attention.

Application: Execute ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa beginning from the right thumb; place mantra-energy in the specified thumb-maṇḍala points with unwavering concentration.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: maṇḍala on the hand (thumb-circles) within the ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.11.5 (mantra-nyāsa preliminaries); Garuda Purana 1.11.7 (aṅga-vinyāsa expansion)

Characters & Entities

• Hari

FAQs

What is the importance of ṣaḍaṅga (sixfold) nyāsa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents ṣaḍaṅga-nyāsa as a practical method of consecration by which Hari is made ‘directly present’—i.e., the practitioner ritually installs the deity/mantra-power into specific bodily points to prepare for worship.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the soul’s post-death journey here; instead, it gives a ritual technology (nyāsa) used in devotional and protective practices, emphasizing embodied discipline as part of dharmic preparation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach mantra and worship with correct method and reverence: use structured, step-by-step practice (under guidance) rather than casual recitation, treating ritual as a means to focus mind and devotion on Hari.