Shloka 46

Nārāyaṇa-Smaraṇa as the Supreme Dharma, Expiation, and Yogic Purifier

Devanagari script

राष्ट्रस्य शरणं राजा पितरो बालकस्य च / धर्मश्च सर्वमर्त्यानां सर्वस्य शरणं हरिः

Transliteration

rāṣṭrasya śaraṇaṃ rājā pitaro bālakasya ca / dharmaśca sarvamartyānāṃ sarvasya śaraṇaṃ hariḥ

Translation

For a kingdom, the king is the refuge; for a child, the ancestors and elders are the refuge. For all mortals, Dharma is the refuge; and for everyone, Hari (Viṣṇu) is the ultimate refuge.

Word by Word

• rāṣṭrasya: of the kingdom
• rāṣṭrasya: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Pradhana (Predicate nominal/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pitaraḥ: parents/fathers
• pitaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• bālakasya: of a child
• bālakasya: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• dharmaḥ: dharma/righteousness
• dharmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• sarva-martyānām: of all mortals
• sarva-martyānām: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (all + mortals); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• sarvasya: of all (of everything)
• sarvasya: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Pradhana (Predicate nominal/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• hariḥ: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• hariḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hierarchy of refuge: political protection, familial guardianship, dharma as moral refuge, and Hari as the ultimate shelter for all beings.

Vedantic Theme: Bhagavān as śaraṇāgati-gocara (ultimate refuge); dharma grounded in the divine; dependence (śeṣatva) of jīva on Hari.

Application: Practice śaraṇāgati: rely on ethical conduct and seek divine refuge through prayer and remembrance; in crises, align decisions with dharma and surrender outcomes to Hari.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Hari as the final protector in life and death; dharma as guide for mortals

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Pitris
• Raja
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the importance of Dharma as a refuge in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that Dharma is the primary support for all mortals—guiding conduct, protecting one from downfall, and shaping one’s fate through karma.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

By placing Dharma and Hari as true refuges, it implies that worldly supports are limited, while righteous living and devotion provide lasting protection in post-death transitions described in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Rely on responsible governance and family guidance where appropriate, but anchor daily life in ethical discipline (Dharma) and spiritual remembrance of Hari as the highest support.