Shloka 10

Mṛtyuñjaya/Amṛteśvara Upāsanā: Three-Syllable Mantra, Kavaca, Japa-Phala, and Pūjā-Aṅgas

Devanagari script

वाद्यं गतिं च नृत्यं च न्यासयोगं प्रदक्षिणम् / प्रणतिर्मन्त्रशय्या च वन्दनं च विसर्जनम्

Transliteration

vādyaṃ gatiṃ ca nṛtyaṃ ca nyāsayogaṃ pradakṣiṇam / praṇatirmantraśayyā ca vandanaṃ ca visarjanam

Translation

Instrumental music, ritual movement and dance; nyāsa (sacred placement) applied in yogic discipline; pradakṣiṇa (reverent circumambulation); prostration; the mantra-śayyā (a seat or couch consecrated by mantra); devotional salutation; and visarjana (the formal concluding dismissal)—all these are limbs of worship.

Word by Word

• वाद्यम्: musical instrument/playing music
• वाद्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• गतिम्: movement/going
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नृत्यम्: dance
• नृत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• न्यासयोगम्: the practice of nyāsa (ritual placement)
• न्यासयोगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (न्यासस्य योगः)

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रणतिः: prostration/salutation
• प्रणतिः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/उद्देश्य-निर्देश), एकवचन

• मन्त्रशय्या: mantra-bed/ritual resting on mantra (mantra-śayyā)
• मन्त्रशय्या: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र + शय्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मन्त्रस्य शय्या)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वन्दनम्: praise/obeisance
• वन्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (अत्र सूचीकरणे कर्मरूपेण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विसर्जनम्: dismissal/ritual release
• विसर्जनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विसर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (अत्र सूचीकरणे कर्मरूपेण)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pūjā is a structured whole including bodily, verbal, and mental offerings, culminating in proper dismissal.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-upāsanā as a means to citta-śuddhi (purification of mind) through disciplined devotion.

Application: In daily worship, include respectful gestures (pradakṣiṇā, praṇāma), mantra-supported seating/arrangement, and a clear concluding visarjana rather than abrupt stopping.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-space/mandapa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.18.11-14 (sequenced pūjā, ṣaḍaṅga, arghya-śodhana, nyāsa, heart-lotus contemplation)

FAQs

What is the importance of these worship components in the Garuda Purana?

This verse enumerates key upacāras (service-elements) of worship—outer offerings like music and circumambulation, and inner disciplines like nyāsa—showing that pūjā is both devotional expression and structured ritual completion (ending with visarjana).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly, it emphasizes disciplined dharmic worship and mantra-based practice (nyāsa, mantra-śayyā), which the Garuda Purana presents as supportive of purification and auspicious spiritual progress.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

In daily pūjā, include simple forms of these elements—respectful movement, a brief pradakṣiṇā, namaskāra, mantra-focused attention, and a clear closing prayer (visarjana)—to keep worship complete and mindful.