Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

अश्वमेधसहस्राणि वाजपेयशतानि च / क्षणमेकाग्रचित्तस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम्

Transliteration

aśvamedhasahasrāṇi vājapeyaśatāni ca / kṣaṇamekāgracittasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm

Translation

Even a thousand Aśvamedha sacrifices and a hundred Vājapeya rites are not worth even one-sixteenth of a single moment of a mind made one-pointed (in concentrated devotion/meditation).

Word by Word

• अश्वमेधसहस्राणि: thousands of Aśvamedha sacrifices
• अश्वमेधसहस्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अश्वमेधानां सहस्राणि)

• वाजपेयशतानि: hundreds of Vājapeya sacrifices
• वाजपेयशतानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजपेय (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वाजपेयस्य शतानि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• क्षणम्: a moment
• क्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

• एकाग्रचित्तस्य: of one whose mind is one-pointed
• एकाग्रचित्तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (एकाग्रं चित्तं यस्य) — ‘one-pointed-minded’ (Genitive singular)

• कलाम्: a fraction/part
• कलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

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

• अर्हन्ति: are worth/merit
• अर्हन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमानकालः/Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• षोडशीम्: sixteenth (part)
• षोडशीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडशिन्/षोडशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (Accusative singular feminine)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A moment of one-pointed mind (in meditation/devotion) surpasses vast accumulations of grand sacrifices.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāga (inner sacrifice) and ekāgratā as superior sādhanā; prioritizing inner purity over external magnitude.

Application: Cultivate daily concentration practices (japa, dhyana, breath-counting) and reduce ritualism-as-status; measure progress by steadiness of mind.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated valuation of nāma-japa and smaraṇa over elaborate rites when done without devotion; Garuda Purana: praise of stotra-śravaṇa/pāṭha as purifier

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Aśvamedha
• Vājapeya

FAQs

What is the importance of a one-pointed mind (ekāgratā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse ranks inner concentration as superior to even the greatest public Vedic sacrifices, implying that focused devotion/meditation yields a higher quality of spiritual merit.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana themes like karma and liberation?

By valuing inner transformation over costly rituals, it emphasizes that karma is refined most powerfully through disciplined consciousness—supporting the Purana’s broader aim of guiding the soul toward upliftment and freedom.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Set aside even a brief daily moment for steady, undistracted japa, prayer, or meditation; the text suggests that sincere focus can outweigh purely external religious performance.