Shloka 25

Devanagari script

उपासितो भवेत्तेन देवो योगतनुः परः / सहस्रपरमां नित्यां शतमध्यां दशावराम्

Transliteration

upāsito bhavettena devo yogatanuḥ paraḥ / sahasraparamāṃ nityāṃ śatamadhyāṃ daśāvarām

Translation

By that discipline of worship and japa, the supreme Deity—whose very form is Yoga—is duly propitiated. This practice should be kept as a constant observance: a thousand as the highest count, a hundred as the middle, and ten as the minimum.

Word by Word

• उपासितः: worshipped
• उपासितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप√आस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be/should become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तेन: by that/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• देवः: the deity
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• योगतनुः: having a yogic form
• योगतनुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (योगस्य तनुः/योगमयी तनुः)

• परः: supreme
• परः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सहस्रपरमाम्: whose highest (count) is a thousand
• सहस्रपरमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सहस्रं परमा यस्याः)

• नित्याम्: daily/constant
• नित्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शतमध्याम्: whose middle (count) is a hundred
• शतमध्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शतं मध्यं यस्याः)

• दशावराम्: whose lowest (count) is ten
• दशावराम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक) + अवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दश अवरा यस्याः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Through regulated upāsanā/japa, the Supreme—whose very form is Yoga—is pleased; practice admits graded capacity (1000/100/10).

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti supported by niyama and abhyāsa; saguna-upāsanā as a means to citta-śuddhi and steadiness, opening toward higher realization.

Application: Adopt a sustainable daily japa/recitation count: ideal (1000), standard (100), minimum (10); track consistency over intensity; increase gradually.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: upāsanā and japa prescriptions with counts (general resonance); Garuda Purana: Vishnu-centered discipline as purifier and protector

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Supreme Deity)
• Yoga (as the divine form/discipline)

FAQs

What is the importance of fixed japa counts (1000, 100, 10) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse sets a graded standard for regular practice: ideally 1000 repetitions, ordinarily 100, and at minimum 10—so devotion remains consistent even when time or capacity is limited.

How does this verse explain the path of spiritual progress?

It emphasizes that steady worship/recitation propitiates the Supreme who is “yoga-embodied,” implying that disciplined practice itself becomes the means of inner purification and alignment with the divine.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a non-negotiable daily minimum (even 10 repetitions) and increase toward 100 or 1000 when possible—prioritizing consistency (nitya) over occasional intensity.