Shloka 3

Hari-Pūjā: Puruṣa-sūkta, Bhakti-Supremacy, and Consequences of Neglect

Devanagari script

यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् / तं यो न ध्यायते विष्णुं स विष्ठायां क्रिमिर्भवेत्

Transliteration

yataḥ pravṛttirbhūtānāṃ yena sarvamidaṃ tatam / taṃ yo na dhyāyate viṣṇuṃ sa viṣṭhāyāṃ krimirbhavet

Translation

From Him arises the activity of all beings, and by Him this whole universe is pervaded—whoever does not meditate upon that Viṣṇu becomes a worm in excrement.

Word by Word

• यतः: from which; whence
• यतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक 'यत्' तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from which/whence')

• प्रवृत्तिः: origin; activity; coming forth
• प्रवृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• येन: by whom/which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (instrumental pronoun)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• इदम्: this (universe)
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• ततम्: pervaded; spread
• ततम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तन् (धातु) + त (क्त) → तत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (particle of negation)

• ध्यायते: meditates upon
• ध्यायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विष्ठायाम्: in excrement
• विष्ठायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• क्रिमिः: a worm
• क्रिमिः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Meditation on the all-pervading Viṣṇu is essential; neglect leads to extreme spiritual degradation.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin/sarva-vyāpin Brahman as Viṣṇu; failure of smṛti/dhyāna results in lower rebirth per karma.

Application: Establish daily Viṣṇu-dhyāna (japa, nāma-smaraṇa, or silent contemplation of all-pervading presence), especially at dawn/dusk; treat forgetfulness as a serious spiritual lapse.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: repeated emphasis that Viṣṇu-smaraṇa at death and in life mitigates suffering and determines gati; Garuda Purana: teachings on nāma-smaraṇa and simple worship as sufficient when done with śraddhā

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Bhutas (beings)

FAQs

What is the importance of meditating on Vishnu in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Vishnu as the source of all beings and the one who pervades everything; remembering/meditating on Him is treated as essential dharma, and neglect is described as leading to a degrading rebirth.

How does this verse explain karmic consequences after death or in future births?

It frames forgetfulness of the all-pervading Lord as a grave spiritual failure, expressed through a vividly low rebirth (as a worm in filth), consistent with the Purana’s moral causality linking inner orientation to rebirth outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain regular Vishnu-smaraṇa—daily japa, prayer, or contemplation—so one’s actions remain aligned with dharma and devotion rather than spiritual negligence.