Shloka 6

Sūrya-pūjā-vidhi: Gateway Deities, Lotus-Mandala, Nyāsa, Navagrahas, and Arghya

Devanagari script

मुद्राया दर्शनं रुद्र मूलमन्त्रेण वा हर / तेजोरूपं रक्तवर्णं सितपद्मोपरि स्थितम् / एकचक्ररथारूढं द्विबाहुं धृतपङ्कजम्

Transliteration

mudrāyā darśanaṃ rudra mūlamantreṇa vā hara / tejorūpaṃ raktavarṇaṃ sitapadmopari sthitam / ekacakrarathārūḍhaṃ dvibāhuṃ dhṛtapaṅkajam

Translation

हे रुद्र, हे हर—मूलमंत्र से भी मुद्रा का दर्शन (प्रदर्शन) करे। वह तेजोमय है, रक्तवर्ण है, श्वेत कमल पर स्थित है; एकचक्र रथ पर आरूढ़, द्विभुज, हाथों में पद्म धारण किए हुए है।

Word by Word

• मुद्रायाः: of the mudrā (hand-gesture)
• मुद्रायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• दर्शनम्: showing/display
• दर्शनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दर्शन (कृदन्त/भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (act of showing/seeing)

• रुद्र: O Rudra
• रुद्र: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• मूलमन्त्रेण: by the root-mantra
• मूलमन्त्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘मूलः मन्त्रः’)

• वा: or
• वा: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-निपात (disjunctive particle), अव्यय

• हर: O Hara
• हर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• तेजोरूपम्: radiant in form
• तेजोरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस् + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘तेजसः रूपम्’ = form of radiance)

• रक्तवर्णम्: red-colored
• रक्तवर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘रक्तः वर्णः’ = red-colored)

• सितपद्मोपरि: upon the white lotus
• सितपद्मोपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सित + पद्म + उपरि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः; ‘सितपद्म’ (कर्मधारयः) + ‘उपरि’ (अव्यय) = ‘upon the white lotus’

• स्थितम्: situated
• स्थितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एकचक्ररथारूढम्: mounted on a one-wheeled chariot
• एकचक्ररथारूढम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + चक्र + रथ + आरूढ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘एकचक्रः रथः’ + ‘आरूढ’ = mounted on a one-wheeled chariot)

• द्विबाहुम्: two-armed
• द्विबाहुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगुः (द्वौ बाहू यस्य)

• धृतपङ्कजम्: holding a lotus
• धृतपङ्कजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत (धृ + क्त) + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘पङ्कजं धृतम्’ = holding a lotus)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dhyāna through precise form (rūpa-lakṣaṇa) and mudrā: disciplined visualization steadies mind and makes worship effective.

Vedantic Theme: Saguṇa-upāsanā as a support leading toward inner steadiness (antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi).

Application: Use a consistent mental image (color, seat, attributes) during japa/meditation; pair it with a simple hand gesture to anchor attention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: meditative visualization within the ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.39.5 (āvāhana/sthāpana); Garuda Purana 1.39.7 (mūla-mantra for Sūrya)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Hara

FAQs

What is the importance of mudrā and mūla-mantra in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links ritual efficacy to both gesture (mudrā-darśana) and sound (mūla-mantra), indicating that worship/meditation is completed through coordinated bodily sign and mantra recitation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it emphasizes disciplined ritual and contemplative visualization, which the Garuda Purana presents as supportive dharmic practice that strengthens spiritual orientation and purification.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Pair mantra-japa with a steady symbolic gesture and focused visualization (radiant form, lotus-seat) to cultivate concentration, reverence, and consistency in daily sādhana.