Shloka 16

Devanagari script

कोटीश्वरं चाश्वमेधं दृष्ट्वा स्यादृणनाशनम् / स्वर्गद्वारेश्वरं दृष्ट्वा मुच्यते भवबन्धनात्

Transliteration

koṭīśvaraṃ cāśvamedhaṃ dṛṣṭvā syādṛṇanāśanam / svargadvāreśvaraṃ dṛṣṭvā mucyate bhavabandhanāt

Translation

By beholding Kōṭīśvara and Aśvamedha, one’s debts are destroyed; and by beholding Svargadvāreśvara, one is released from the bondage of worldly existence.

Word by Word

• कोटीश्वरम्: Koṭīśvara (a deity/place-name)
• कोटीश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कोट्याः ईश्वरः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अश्वमेधम्: Aśvamedha (sacrifice/place-name)
• अश्वमेधम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अश्वस्य मेधः)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), परस्मैपदी; ‘having seen’

• स्यात्: would be / becomes
• स्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• ऋणनाशनम्: destruction of debt
• ऋणनाशनम्: Karmadhāraya/Predicate Noun (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ऋणस्य नाशनम्)

• स्वर्गद्वारेश्वरम्: Svargadvāreśvara (lord of the gate of heaven)
• स्वर्गद्वारेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वर्गद्वारस्य ईश्वरः)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• मुच्यते: is released
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदी, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• भवबन्धनात्: from the bondage of worldly existence
• भवबन्धनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भवस्य बन्धनम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-darśana and īśvara-smaraṇa as purifiers that remove ṛṇa (obligation/debt) and loosen bhava-bandhana (saṃsāric bondage).

Vedantic Theme: Anugraha (grace) mediated through sacred presence; pāpa-kṣaya as a preparatory aid toward vairāgya and mokṣa.

Application: Undertake pilgrimage or intentional darśana (in person or mentally), coupled with repentance and vow of ethical living; treat ‘debt’ as both social/ritual obligation and karmic burden to be resolved.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha/temple-shrine cluster

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta-kalpa/ācāra sections that praise tīrtha-darśana and pāpa-kṣaya (adjacent verses in 1.83 listing Gayā-kṣetra shrines); Garuda Purana passages on ṛṇa-traya (debt to devas/ṛṣis/pitṛs) and means of discharge (śrāddha, dāna, japa)

Characters & Entities

• Koṭīśvara
• Aśvamedha
• Svargadvāreśvara

FAQs

What is the importance of darśana (beholding) of Koṭīśvara and Aśvamedha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that merely beholding Koṭīśvara and Aśvamedha leads to ṛṇa-nāśana—relief from burdensome obligations and debts understood in a dharmic/karmic sense.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation?

It links sacred darśana with inner purification: Svargadvāreśvara-darśana is said to free a person from bhava-bandhana, i.e., the binding cycle of repeated worldly existence (saṃsāra).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate dharmic living that reduces ‘debts’ (to family, society, ancestors, and the divine), and when possible combine pilgrimage/temple-darśana with ethical conduct, charity, and sincere devotion.