Shloka 12

Kula-amṛta: Śiva’s Teaching to Nārada on Viṣṇu-Dhyāna and Mokṣa

Devanagari script

देवं गर्भोचितं विष्णुं सदा ध्यायन्विमुच्यते / अशिरीरं विधातारं सर्वज्ञानमनोरतिम् / अचलं सर्वगं विष्णुं सदा ध्यायन्विमुच्यते

Transliteration

devaṃ garbhocitaṃ viṣṇuṃ sadā dhyāyanvimucyate / aśirīraṃ vidhātāraṃ sarvajñānamanoratim / acalaṃ sarvagaṃ viṣṇuṃ sadā dhyāyanvimucyate

Translation

By constantly meditating on Viṣṇu—the divine Lord fit to be contemplated even while in the womb—one is liberated. By meditating on the bodiless Ordainer, whose delight is in omniscience, one is liberated. By meditating always on Viṣṇu, the unmoving and all-pervading One, one is liberated.

Word by Word

• देवम्: the God
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गर्भ: womb
• गर्भ: Sambandha (Compound member/समास-संबन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; (समासाङ्ग) प्रातिपदिक-रूप

• उचितम्: appropriate to (dwelling in) the womb
• उचितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उचित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वच्/उच्? + क्त, रूढ)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; गर्भ-उचित (तत्पुरुष: 'fit for/appropriate to the womb' i.e., present in the womb) विशेषणम् (देवम्/विष्णुम्)

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• विमुच्यते: is freed
• विमुच्यते: Kriya (Result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• अशिरीरम्: bodiless
• अशिरीरम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्/देवम्)

• विधातारम्: the ordainer/creator
• विधातारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वज्ञानम्: possessing all knowledge
• सर्वज्ञानम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्)

• अनोरतिम्: subtle delight/inner joy
• अनोरतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनोरति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: अनस्/अनु + रति (तत्पुरुष; रूढार्थे—'subtle delight/inner joy' इत्यर्थे) विशेषणार्थक-सम्बन्धः (सर्वज्ञानम् इत्यनेन सह)

• अचलम्: immovable
• अचलम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्)

• सर्वगम्: all-pervading
• सर्वगम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्)

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त; पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• विमुच्यते: is freed
• विमुच्यते: Kriya (Result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (passive)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, contextually within the Garuda Purana dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Constant meditation on Vishnu—fit for contemplation even in the womb; on the bodiless ordainer; on the omniscient delighting in knowledge; on the unmoving all-pervader—brings liberation.

Vedantic Theme: From saguna support for meditation to nirguna pointers (asharira, achala, sarvaga); progressive refinement of upasana into nondual realization.

Application: Adopt layered meditation: begin with personal Vishnu form, then contemplate Him as formless ordainer and all-pervading consciousness; maintain constancy (sada) as the key discipline.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: inner-body/liminal

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: emphasis on constant smarana/dhyana as the decisive factor for liberation (theme parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu-dhyana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that constant meditation on Vishnu—described as bodiless, all-knowing, unmoving, and all-pervading—directly leads to liberation (vimukti/moksha).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames the soul’s release not primarily through external rites here, but through sustained inner remembrance and contemplation of Vishnu, the supreme, omnipresent ordainer.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain daily Vishnu-smaraṇa (remembrance)—japa, meditation, or contemplative recitation—so the mind becomes steady and naturally turns toward liberation-oriented awareness.