Shloka 43

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

ध्यायेदुरसि संयुक्तमोङ्कारं मुक्तिसाधकम् / ध्यायन्यदि त्यजेत्प्राणान्याति ब्रह्म स्वसन्निधिम्

Transliteration

dhyāyedurasi saṃyuktamoṅkāraṃ muktisādhakam / dhyāyanyadi tyajetprāṇānyāti brahma svasannidhim

Translation

胸（心）に結び合わせて解脱を成就する聖音「オーム（Oṃ）」を観想すべきである。観想のうちに命の息を捨てるなら、その者はブラフマンのまさに御前（臨在）に至る。

Word by Word

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• उरसि: on the chest
• उरसि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन (Singular)

• संयुक्तम्: joined/combined
• संयुक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + युज् (धातु) → संयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• ओङ्कारम्: the syllable Om
• ओङ्कारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुक्ति-साधकम्: that which accomplishes liberation
• मुक्ति-साधकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + साधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘of liberation’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ध्यायन्: while meditating
• ध्यायन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) → ध्यायन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (as attendant action)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• त्यजेत्: should give up
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• प्राणान्: vital breaths/life
• प्राणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Plural)

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्व-सन्निधिम्: to (his) own presence/nearby state
• स्व-सन्निधिम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘one’s own’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (goal)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Praṇava (Oṃ) meditation as a direct upāya; dying in that contemplation leads to Brahman-sannidhi.

Vedantic Theme: Praṇava as Brahman-pratīka; antakāla-smṛti and ekāgratā as mokṣa-sādhana; sāyujya/sannidhāna through brahma-dhyāna.

Application: Daily japa/dhyāna of Oṃ centered in the heart; cultivate steady remembrance so that the final thought aligns with Brahman.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: inner sacred locus (hṛdaya-puṇḍarīka/antarākāśa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.44-47 (Hari in the heart; jñāna/yoga; ekacittatā; liberated yogin)

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Om (Omkara)
• Prana

FAQs

What is the importance of Om (Omkara) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Oṃ as “muktisādhaka”—a direct means to liberation—especially when held in focused meditation at life’s end.

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

It teaches that if the prāṇas depart while the mind is absorbed in Oṃ, the departing consciousness attains Brahman’s immediate presence rather than wandering through post-death states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate steady Oṃ-japa and meditation daily so that remembrance becomes natural at critical moments, supporting a calm, dharmic, and spiritually oriented end of life.