Shloka 4

Pūjā-Anukrama: Bīja-Śuddhi, Nyāsa, Homa, Vyūha-Nyāsa, and Dvārakā Cakra Rakṣā

Devanagari script

नमस्ते पुण्डरीकाक्ष नमस्ते विश्वभावन / सुब्रह्मण्य नमस्ते ऽस्तु महापुरुष पूर्वज

Transliteration

namaste puṇḍarīkākṣa namaste viśvabhāvana / subrahmaṇya namaste 'stu mahāpuruṣa pūrvaja

Translation

Salutations to You, O Lotus-eyed One; salutations to You, O Sustainer of the universe. O Bestower of auspiciousness, salutations indeed to You—O Supreme Person, the Primordial Ancestor.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Kriya-bhava
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थक

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• पुण्डरीकाक्ष: O lotus-eyed one
• पुण्डरीकाक्ष: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक-अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: पुण्डरीक इव अक्षिणी यस्य

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Kriya-bhava
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• विश्वभावन: O sustainer/creator of the universe
• विश्वभावन: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-भावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः: विश्वस्य भावनः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सुब्रह्मण्य: O most auspicious one
• सुब्रह्मण्य: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-ब्रह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: सु + ब्रह्मण्य (very auspicious/propitious)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Kriya-bhava
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive usage), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महापुरुष: O great person
• महापुरुष: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महान् पुरुषः

• पूर्वज: O primeval one/ancestor
• पूर्वज: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व-ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः: पूर्वः जातः (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), offering salutations to Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Recognize the Lord as lotus-eyed sustainer and primordial Supreme Person; offer repeated salutations as surrender.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as jagat-kāraṇa (cause/support of the universe) and ādi-puruṣa; devotion as a direct means to inner peace.

Application: Use short stuti as daily remembrance; cultivate gratitude and humility by acknowledging the divine as source and sustainer.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: frequent epithets of Viṣṇu as Pundarīkākṣa and Viśvabhāvana in stutis (thematic)

Characters & Entities

• Lord Vishnu (Puṇḍarīkākṣa, Mahāpuruṣa)

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Vishnu in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the teaching with devotion to Vishnu as the cosmic sustainer and supreme source, establishing spiritual authority and auspiciousness before the discourse.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it anchors the afterlife teachings in surrender to the Mahāpuruṣa—the ultimate refuge—implying that liberation and protection depend on divine grace alongside dharma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Begin sacred study, rites, or remembrance of the departed with a Vishnu salutation to cultivate steadiness, auspicious intent, and dharmic orientation.