Shloka 1

Mahāyoga: Detachment from ‘I/Mine’, Aṣṭāṅga Practice, Oṁkāra and Aham-Brahmāsmi Contemplation

Devanagari script

नाम पञ्चविंशत्यधिकद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच वक्ष्ये साङ्गं महायोगं भुक्तिमुक्तिकरं परम् / सर्वपापप्रशमनं भक्त्यानुपठितं शृणु

Transliteration

nāma pañcaviṃśatyadhikadviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca vakṣye sāṅgaṃ mahāyogaṃ bhuktimuktikaraṃ param / sarvapāpapraśamanaṃ bhaktyānupaṭhitaṃ śṛṇu

Translation

सूत जी बोले—मैं अंगों सहित उस परम महायोग का वर्णन करूँगा, जो भोग और मोक्ष दोनों देने वाला है। भक्तिपूर्वक पाठित इसे सुनो; यह समस्त पापों का शमन करता है।

Word by Word

• nāma: (called) / title marker
• nāma: Sambandha (Heading/label)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse-marker/heading particle (नाम इति)

• pañcaviṃśati-adhika-dviśatatamaḥ: the 225th (chapter)
• pañcaviṃśati-adhika-dviśatatamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of अध्यायः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (प्रातिपदिक) + viṃśati (प्रातिपदिक) + adhika (प्रातिपदिक) + dviśata (प्रातिपदिक) + -tama (प्रत्यय)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; ordinal adjective qualifying अध्यायः; compound meaning 'two-hundred plus twenty-five, ordinal'

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• sūtaḥ: Sūta
• sūtaḥ: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• vakṣye: I shall speak
• vakṣye: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ (लुट्, periphrastic future), Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• sāṅgam: with its limbs/parts
• sāṅgam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; qualifying महायोगम्

• mahāyogam: the great yoga
• mahāyogam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; object of वक्ष्ये

• bhukti-mukti-karam: granting enjoyment and liberation
• bhukti-mukti-karam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhukti (प्रातिपदिक) + mukti (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; qualifying महायोगम्; 'producing enjoyment and liberation'

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; qualifying महायोगम्

• sarva-pāpa-praśamanam: the remover of all sins
• sarva-pāpa-praśamanam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + praśamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; qualifying (mahāyogam) understood; 'pacifying all sins'

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana; instrumental of manner

• anupaṭhitam: (properly) recited
• anupaṭhitam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu + paṭh (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kta-participle (past passive participle), Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; qualifying (mahāyogam) understood; 'recited repeatedly/after (properly) reciting'

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Speaker

Sūta

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mahāyoga taught with its auxiliaries grants bhukti (well-being) and mukti (liberation) and pacifies sins when heard with devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana through śravaṇa-bhakti leading to purification (citta-śuddhi) and readiness for liberating knowledge.

Application: Adopt regular devotional listening/recitation of the teaching with faith; treat it as a disciplined practice (aṅga-sahita) aimed at both ethical purification and inner freedom.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta-kalpa sections that praise śravaṇa/paṭhana as sin-destroying; Garuda Purana passages on Viṣṇu-bhakti as purifier and giver of bhukti-mukti

Characters & Entities

• Sūta

FAQs

What is the importance of Mahāyoga in the Garuda Purana?

This verse introduces Mahāyoga as a complete (sāṅga) discipline presented as “supreme,” capable of granting both bhukti (well-being in life) and mukti (liberation).

How does this verse connect devotion (bhakti) with freedom from sins?

It explicitly states that when the teaching is recited and heard with devotion (bhaktyā anupaṭhitam), it becomes sarvapāpapraśamana—an appeasement and removal of all sins.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach sacred study and chanting with sincerity and regularity—devotional listening/recitation is presented here as a transformative practice that purifies conduct and supports both ethical living and spiritual progress.