Shloka 4

Navavyūha-pūjāvidhi: Bhūta-śuddhi, Nyāsa, Yogapīṭha, Maṇḍala-racanā, Mudrā-prayoga

Devanagari script

ततो बुद्वुदमध्ये तु पीतवासाश्चतुर्भुजः / अहं मतस्तथात्मानं ध्यानेन परिचिन्तयेत्

Transliteration

tato budvudamadhye tu pītavāsāścaturbhujaḥ / ahaṃ matastathātmānaṃ dhyānena paricintayet

Translation

Luego, en medio de una esfera luminosa (como una burbuja), contemple en meditación al Señor de cuatro brazos, vestido de amarillo; pensando: «Ese Señor soy yo», así reflexione sobre su propio Ser.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Temporal adverb (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (adverb: then)

• बुद्बुदमध्ये: in the middle of a bubble
• बुद्बुदमध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्बुद + मध्ये (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th) एकवचन (locative singular; 'in the middle of the bubble')

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• पीतवासाः: one whose garment is yellow
• पीतवासाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन (masculine; nominative singular); बहुव्रीहिः—'यस्य वासः पीतम्'

• चतुर्भुजः: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + भुज (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन (masculine; nominative singular); बहुव्रीहिः—'यस्य भुजाः चत्वारः'

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन (1st person pronoun; nominative singular)

• मतः: considered (as)
• मतः: Predicate qualifier (विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) / मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; अर्थः 'सम्यक् मन्यते/अभिमतः' (considered/held as)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Manner adverb (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus/so)

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन (masculine; accusative singular)

• ध्यानेन: by meditation
• ध्यानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd) एकवचन (neuter; instrumental singular)

• परिचिन्तयेत्: should contemplate thoroughly
• परिचिन्तयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Identity contemplation (‘so’ham/aham saḥ’ style): meditating on the four-armed, yellow-clad Lord and recognizing the Self’s unity with Him.

Vedantic Theme: Non-duality/abheda as culmination of bhakti-yoga meditation; īśvara as the inner Self when upādhis are dissolved.

Application: After mantra and bhūta-śuddhi, hold a steady Viṣṇu form in a luminous sphere, then gently shift from form to the sense of pure ‘I-am’ without separation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: meditative locus (heart/inner space)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dhyāna passages on Viṣṇu’s caturbhuja form and internal worship leading to liberation

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu (implied: pītavāsāḥ caturbhujaḥ)
• Ātman (Self)

FAQs

What is the importance of meditating on the four-armed, yellow-robed form in the Garuda Purana?

It provides a concrete dhyāna-support (ālambana) for focusing the mind on Vishnu, leading the practitioner toward inner steadiness and spiritual realization.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It points inward: liberation is approached through contemplative identification with the divine Self—seeing the Lord as the innermost reality rather than merely an external deity.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice daily meditation by visualizing Vishnu’s form (pītāmbara, caturbhuja) and cultivating self-inquiry—reducing ego-centered thinking and strengthening dharma-driven living.