Shloka 6

Mṛtyvaṣṭaka of Mārkaṇḍeya: Refuge in Viṣṇu and the Withdrawal of Death

Devanagari script

भूतात्मानं महात्मानं यज्ञयोनिमयोनिजम् / विश्वरूपं प्रपन्नो ऽस्मि किन्नो मूत्युः करिष्यति

Transliteration

bhūtātmānaṃ mahātmānaṃ yajñayonimayonijam / viśvarūpaṃ prapanno 'smi kinno mūtyuḥ kariṣyati

Translation

Me refugio en el Ser Supremo que mora en todos los seres: la Gran Alma, fuente del sacrificio y, sin embargo, no nacido; el de forma universal que es el cosmos entero. ¿Qué puede, pues, hacerme la Muerte?

Word by Word

• भूतात्मानम्: the Self of beings
• भूतात्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूतानाम् आत्मा)

• महात्मानम्: the great-souled one
• महात्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् आत्मा)

• यज्ञयोनिम्: whose source is sacrifice
• यज्ञयोनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञस्य योनि:)

• अयोनिजम्: not born from a womb; unoriginated
• अयोनिजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + योनिज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषणम् (अ- = not)

• विश्वरूपम्: of universal form
• विश्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (विश्वं रूपं यस्य/विश्व-रूपः)

• प्रपन्नः: having taken refuge
• प्रपन्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √पद् (पद्/गत्यर्थे) → प्रपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः; ‘शरणं गतः’ इत्यर्थः

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (अस्/भूवाचक)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम; अत्र ‘किं’ = what?

• नः: to us / for us
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive) बहुवचनस्य/अस्माकम्; वैकल्पिकं दत्तिवाचक-प्रयोगः; अत्र ‘नः’ = to us/for us

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• करिष्यति: will do
• करिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (कृ/करणे)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

A devotee/reciter affirming surrender to the Supreme (taught in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Refuge in the unborn, all-pervading Supreme Self (Viṣṇu) dissolves fear of death; death cannot touch one established in the Absolute.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman/Paramātman as ajā (unborn) and viśvarūpa; fearlessness (abhaya) arising from ātma-jñāna and śaraṇāgati.

Application: Use this verse as a daily affirmation in japa/recitation, especially during anxiety, illness, or at life transitions; cultivate remembrance of the indwelling Lord in all beings.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa themes: Viṣṇudūtas protecting devotees; death-conquering stotras (mṛtyu-śamana); Garuda Purana bhakti sections praising Acyuta/Nṛsiṃha as refuge

Characters & Entities

• Mrityu (Death)
• Paramatman (Supreme Self)

FAQs

What is the importance of surrender (prapatti) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents prapatti—taking refuge in the all-pervading Supreme—as a direct antidote to fear, implying that spiritual surrender to the Highest Reality is stronger than the terror of death.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By centering the soul’s identity in the Supreme Self present in all beings, it points to inner refuge and remembrance as the guiding principle—suggesting that one anchored in the Divine faces death without collapse into fear or confusion.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily remembrance and ethical living grounded in surrender—recite and reflect on this verse during illness, funerary rites, or anxiety, using it to replace panic with devotion, clarity, and steadiness.