Shloka 52

Gradations of Bliss and Knowledge; Lakṣmī’s Special Insight; The Rarity of Bhakti in Kali-yuga; Nīlā’s Vow and Śrīnivāsa Darśana

Devanagari script

ध्यात्वा नारायणं देवं तत्रासीच्च कुमारिका / दिव्यवर्षसहस्रान्ते स्तोतुं समुपचक्रमे

Transliteration

dhyātvā nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ tatrāsīcca kumārikā / divyavarṣasahasrānte stotuṃ samupacakrame

Translation

នាងកុមារីបានសមាធិលើព្រះនារាយណៈ ព្រះដ៏ទេវៈ ហើយស្នាក់នៅទីនោះ។ ពេលគ្រប់ពាន់ឆ្នាំទេវៈ នាងចាប់ផ្តើមសរសើរដោយស្តូត្រ។

Word by Word

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: ध्यै; ‘having meditated’

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; नारायणम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण-रूपेण

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• कुमारिका: a maiden
• कुमारिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• दिव्य-वर्ष-सहस्र-अन्ते: at the end of a thousand divine years
• दिव्य-वर्ष-सहस्र-अन्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष): ‘दिव्यानां वर्षाणां सहस्रस्य अन्ते’

• स्तोतुम्: to praise
• स्तोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), ‘to praise’

• समुपचक्रमे: began
• समुपचक्रमे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उप-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘began/undertook’

Speaker

Narrator (within the Garuda Purana dialogue framework between Lord Vishnu and Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: dhyāna of Nārāyaṇa ripens into stuti; sustained practice across time yields devotional realization

Vedantic Theme: upāsanā leading toward steadiness of mind (citta-nirodha) and grace; nāma-rūpa contemplation as doorway to the formless

Application: maintain long-term consistency in meditation; let devotion express as daily stotra/chanting after silent practice

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: austerity hermitage/solitary ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.19.48-51 (vow, darśana, fasting, solitude, tapas leading to dhyāna and stotra)

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Kumarika

FAQs

What is the importance of meditating on Narayana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents dhyāna (meditation) on Nārāyaṇa as the foundation for sustained spiritual steadiness that culminates in stuti (devotional praise), highlighting bhakti supported by inner contemplation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or spiritual progress?

Rather than describing post-death travel directly, it depicts a classic progression of practice—dhyāna leading to long tapas-like endurance (symbolized by “a thousand celestial years”) and flowering into devotional hymnody, implying maturation of consciousness toward the Divine.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Establish a daily routine of focused meditation on Nārāyaṇa (or a chosen form of the Divine) and conclude with a short stotra; the verse emphasizes consistency over time and devotion grounded in mental discipline.