Shloka 21
Nārāyaṇa-Smaraṇa as the Supreme Dharma, Expiation, and Yogic Purifier
सा तिथिस्तदहोरात्रं स योगः स च चन्द्रमाः / लग्नं तदेव विख्यातं यत्र संस्मर्यते हरिः
sā tithistadahorātraṃ sa yogaḥ sa ca candramāḥ / lagnaṃ tadeva vikhyātaṃ yatra saṃsmaryate hariḥ
That alone is the true lunar day (tithi); that alone is the full day-and-night; that alone is the auspicious yoga and that alone is the Moon; that alone is renowned as the right ascendant—where Hari is remembered.
Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Concept: Hari-smaraṇa alone makes time auspicious; devotional remembrance supersedes ritual-astrological calculations.
Vedantic Theme: Primacy of inner orientation over external markers; īśvara-sambandha sanctifies karma and time; bhakti as the true maṅgala.
Application: Do not postpone devotion waiting for ‘perfect muhurta’; begin japa, pūjā, and ethical acts now—Hari-smṛti itself creates auspiciousness.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: temporal-sacred frame (tithi/yoga/lagna)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: emphasis on nāma-smaraṇa as maṅgala and protector; Garuda Purana: bhakti-centered reinterpretation of rites
FAQs
This verse prioritizes smaraṇa (remembrance) of Hari over mere calendrical factors, declaring that the truly auspicious tithi, yoga, Moon and lagna are those moments in which Hari is remembered.
It frames dharmic action and ritual timing as spiritually effective when grounded in devotion to Viṣṇu, implying that inner orientation (smaraṇa) sanctifies external timing conventions.
When performing pūjā, śrāddha-related duties, japa, or charity, focus on sincere remembrance of Viṣṇu—this inner devotion is presented as the primary source of auspiciousness.