Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

आत्मानं देवरूपं च कराङ्गन्यासकं चरेत् / आत्मानं पूजयेत्पश्चाज्यो तीरूपं हृदब्जतः

Transliteration

ātmānaṃ devarūpaṃ ca karāṅganyāsakaṃ caret / ātmānaṃ pūjayetpaścājyo tīrūpaṃ hṛdabjataḥ

Translation

One should meditate on oneself as bearing the form of the Deity and perform kara-aṅga-nyāsa—the nyāsa of hands and limbs. Thereafter one should worship the Ātman, bringing forth the radiant form of light from the lotus of the heart.

Word by Word

• आत्मानम्: the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवरूपम्: having the form of a deity
• देवरूपम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (देवस्य रूपम्)

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

• कराङ्गन्यासकम्: hand-and-limb nyāsa (ritual placement)
• कराङ्गन्यासकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर + अङ्ग + न्यासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (करयोः अङ्गेषु न्यासः/न्यासकः)

• चरेत्: should perform/practice
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आत्मानम्: the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम-वाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘afterwards’)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• तीरूपम्: in that form (as such)
• तीरूपम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ति + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तेन/तस्य रूपम्)

• हृदब्जतः: from the lotus of the heart
• हृदब्जतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत्/हृद् + अब्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (हृदः अब्जम् = heart-lotus)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Through nyāsa and deva-bhāvanā, the practitioner internalizes the deity and worships the Self as the luminous divine presence arising from the heart-lotus.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin and ātman–brahman proximity: devotion matures toward inward realization; upāsanā as a bridge to self-knowledge.

Application: During japa/pūjā, add a brief visualization: ‘I am in the form of the deity’ (deva-rūpa), perform nyāsa with attention, then meditate on a light in the heart as the indwelling Lord.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: inner-sacred-space (hṛd-abja) and ritual-seat

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.18.13 (prāṇāyāma and pīṭha-śuddhi as preparation); Garuda Purana 1.18.10-12 (upacāras and purification steps leading to inner worship)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Deva

FAQs

What is the importance of nyāsa (karāṅga-nyāsa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents nyāsa as a preparatory discipline: by placing mantras on the hands and limbs, the practitioner sacralizes the body as a fit vessel for deity-visualization and worship.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or inner realization?

It points inward: after ritual alignment, the practitioner contemplates and worships the luminous inner form (jyoti) arising from the heart-lotus, emphasizing inner divinity alongside external rite.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before prayer or japa, adopt a brief body-mind sanctification (nyāsa or mindful touch/placement) and then meditate on calm inner light at the heart to steady attention and devotion.