Shloka 1
Hasta-Nyāsa and Karāsphālana; Directional and Protective Nyāsa; Worship of the Twelve Maṇḍalas
नाम पञ्चविंशो ऽध्यायः श्रीगरूडमहापुराणम्- २६ सूत उवाच / अनन्तरं करन्यासः / विद्याकरी शुद्धिः कार्या / पद्ममुद्रां बद्ध्वा मन्त्रन्यासं कुर्यात् / कैं कनिष्ठायै नमः / नैं अनामिकायै नमः / मैं मध्यमायै नमः / तैं तर्जन्यै नमः / अं अङ्गुष्ठायै नमः / लां करतलायै नमः / वां करपृष्ठायै नमः
nāma pañcaviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīgarūḍamahāpurāṇam- 26 sūta uvāca / anantaraṃ karanyāsaḥ / vidyākarī śuddhiḥ kāryā / padmamudrāṃ baddhvā mantranyāsaṃ kuryāt / kaiṃ kaniṣṭhāyai namaḥ / naiṃ anāmikāyai namaḥ / maiṃ madhyamāyai namaḥ / taiṃ tarjanyai namaḥ / aṃ aṅguṣṭhāyai namaḥ / lāṃ karatalāyai namaḥ / vāṃ karapṛṣṭhāyai namaḥ
Dijo Sūta: “A continuación viene el kara-nyāsa (nyāsa en la mano). Debe realizarse el rito purificador que fortalece la vidyā. Formando la Padma-mudrā, hágase el mantra-nyāsa: ‘kaiṃ’—salutación al meñique; ‘naiṃ’—salutación al anular; ‘maiṃ’—salutación al dedo medio; ‘taiṃ’—salutación al índice; ‘aṃ’—salutación al pulgar; ‘lāṃ’—salutación a la palma; ‘vāṃ’—salutación al dorso de la mano.”
Sūta
Concept: Ritual internalization: sanctifying the practitioner through nyāsa and mudrā so the vidyā becomes effective (śuddhi/adhikāra).
Vedantic Theme: Embodied practice as preparation for higher contemplation; transforming the instrument (body-mind) into a fit locus for mantra.
Application: Before japa/pujā, perform brief hand-nyāsa with attention and cleanliness; use it as a mindfulness protocol to reduce distraction.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: ritual-space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: sequences of nyāsa, mudrā, and mantra-śuddhi in ritual chapters around 25–26
FAQs
This verse presents kara-nyāsa as a required preparatory consecration: the practitioner ritually “installs” bīja-syllables onto the fingers and hand to make the mantra-practice effective and purified.
It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it gives the ritual preliminaries (purification, mudrā, nyāsa) that traditionally precede recitations and rites connected with dharma and post-death observances.
If performing Garuda Purana-related recitation or rites, begin with a disciplined, reverent preparation—purification and focused mantra-placement—to cultivate attention, sanctity, and correctness in practice.