Shloka 11

Devanagari script

नास्ति विष्णोः परं ध्थेयं तपो नानशनात्परम् / तस्मात्प्रधानमत्रोक्तं वासुदेवस्य चिन्तनम्

Transliteration

nāsti viṣṇoḥ paraṃ dhtheyaṃ tapo nānaśanātparam / tasmātpradhānamatroktaṃ vāsudevasya cintanam

Translation

There is no higher object of meditation than Viṣṇu, and no austerity greater than fasting. Therefore, what is declared here as foremost is contemplation of Vāsudeva.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपातः (negation particle)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विष्णोः: of Vishnu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• परम्: higher, beyond
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ध्येयम्: object to be meditated on
• ध्येयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्येय (प्रातिपदिक); ध्यै (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्तः (gerundive: to be meditated upon)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपातः

• अनशनात्: from fasting
• अनशनात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• परम्: greater
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तपः इति नपुंसकस्य)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेत्वर्थक-निपातः (therefore)

• प्रधानम्: chief, primary
• प्रधानम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha (Locative sense/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place: here/in this context)

• उक्तम्: is said
• उक्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त → उक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः (said)

• वासुदेवस्य: of Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• चिन्तनम्: contemplation
• चिन्तनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्तन (प्रातिपदिक); चिन्त् (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भाववाचक-ल्युट् (act of thinking)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Viṣṇu is the highest object of meditation; fasting is the greatest austerity; foremost practice is contemplation of Vāsudeva.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti supported by tapas: sense-restraint and remembrance converge to purify mind and orient it to Brahman as Vāsudeva.

Application: Adopt periodic fasting (as health and capacity allow) with Viṣṇu-dhyāna/japa; avoid austerity for ego-display—make it an aid to contemplation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.230.10 (dhyāna as highest dharma); Garuda Purana 1.230.12 (Madhusūdana grants the supreme)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vasudeva

FAQs

What is the importance of Vāsudeva-cintanam in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states it as the foremost practice—supreme contemplation of Viṣṇu—placing devotional remembrance above other spiritual aims.

How does this verse relate to liberation and the soul’s journey?

By emphasizing constant remembrance of Viṣṇu as the highest meditation, it points to bhakti-based inner purification, which the Purāṇic tradition links with freedom from fear, sin, and post-death suffering.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain daily Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa remembrance (japa, nāma-smaraṇa, or meditation) and observe disciplined fasting when appropriate as a focused form of tapas.