Shloka 62

Viṣṇv-ekapūjya-nirṇaya; Gaṅgā-Viṣṇupadī-māhātmya; Kali-yuga doṣa; Puṣkara-dharma of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

प्रयाणकाले संस्मरेत्तार्क्ष्यवाहं नारायणं निर्गुणं विश्वमूर्तिम् / पुत्रादीनां चुंबने चैव काले सुवेणुहस्तं संस्मरेत्कृष्णमेव

Transliteration

prayāṇakāle saṃsmarettārkṣyavāhaṃ nārāyaṇaṃ nirguṇaṃ viśvamūrtim / putrādīnāṃ cuṃbane caiva kāle suveṇuhastaṃ saṃsmaretkṛṣṇameva

Translation

En la hora de partir del cuerpo, recuérdese a Nārāyaṇa—el Señor que cabalga a Garuḍa, más allá de los guṇa, cuya forma es el universo. Aun cuando los hijos y otros besen al moribundo, recuérdese sólo a Kṛṣṇa, el Señor que sostiene la flauta en su mano.

Word by Word

• प्रयाणकाले: at the time of departure (death)
• प्रयाणकाले: अधिकरण (सप्तमी/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाण-काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रयाण + काल; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular

• संस्मरेत्: should remember
• संस्मरेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should remember

• तार्क्ष्यवाहम्: the one whose vehicle is Garuḍa
• तार्क्ष्यवाहम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य-वाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तार्क्ष्य (गरुड) + वाह; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• निर्गुणम्: attribute-less
• निर्गुणम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; विशेषण (qualifier)

• विश्वमूर्तिम्: the universal form
• विश्वमूर्तिम्: कर्म (Object/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विश्व + मूर्ति; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• पुत्रादीनाम्: of sons and others
• पुत्रादीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुत्र + आदि; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• चुम्बने: in/at (the act of) kissing
• चुम्बने: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चुम्बन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• काले: at the time
• काले: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; Locative singular

• सुवेणुहस्तम्: him who has a fine flute in hand
• सुवेणुहस्तम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-वेणु-हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सु + वेणु + हस्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular; बहुव्रीहिः (one who has a beautiful flute in hand)

• संस्मरेत्: should remember
• संस्मरेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; should remember

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: अव्यय-सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Moksha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Antya-smṛti: at departure from the body, fix the mind on Nārāyaṇa (Garuḍa-vāhana, nirguṇa, viśva-mūrti); even amid familial touch/attachment, remember Kṛṣṇa (veṇu-hasta).

Vedantic Theme: Smṛti at death shaping gati; nirguṇa-brahman apprehended through īśvara-upāsanā; prapatti overcoming moha.

Application: Prepare a deathbed practice: daily nāma-japa so that at the final moment the mind naturally turns to Nārāyaṇa/Kṛṣṇa; instruct family to support remembrance rather than intensify attachment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: deathbed/threshold space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.29.61-65 (continuous smaraṇa regimen); Garuda Purana (Pretakalpa: prāṇa-utkrānti and the importance of remembrance; general thematic linkage)

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Garuḍa (Tārkṣya)
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the importance of deathbed remembrance (prayāṇa-kāla smaraṇa) in Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that the final moments should be centered on remembering Nārāyaṇa/Kṛṣṇa, because the mind’s last fixation is treated as spiritually decisive, cutting through fear and attachment at death.

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

By urging remembrance of the nirguṇa, viśvamūrti Lord even amid relatives’ emotional farewell, it indicates that inward devotion—not external circumstances—supports the soul’s higher passage toward liberation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily nāma-smaraṇa (repetition/remembering of God’s names and form) so that in crisis or at life’s end the mind naturally turns to Nārāyaṇa/Kṛṣṇa rather than to anxiety and attachment.