Shloka 16

Devanagari script

भौमस्य ब्रह्मणो गुप्त्यै तस्मै ब्रह्मात्मने नमः / नामान्येतानि संकीर्त्य गत्यर्थं प्रार्थयेत्पुनः

Transliteration

bhaumasya brahmaṇo guptyai tasmai brahmātmane namaḥ / nāmānyetāni saṃkīrtya gatyarthaṃ prārthayetpunaḥ

Translation

ഭൗമലോകത്തിന്റെയും ബ്രഹ്മത്തിന്റെയും സംരക്ഷണത്തിനായി ആ ബ്രഹ്മാത്മസ്വരൂപനു നമസ്കാരം. ഈ നാമങ്ങൾ സംകീർത്തനം ചെയ്ത്, സദ്ഗതിക്കായി വീണ്ടും പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• भौमस्य: of the earthly (world) / of Bhūmi
• भौमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भौम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman / of the sacred power
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• गुप्त्यै: for protection/guarding
• गुप्त्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मात्मने: to the one whose self is Brahman
• ब्रह्मात्मने: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; ब्रह्म एव आत्मा यस्य/ब्रह्मात्मा (सम्बोधनार्थे दत्तिः)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (salutatory particle)

• नामानि: names
• नामानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; एतानि इत्यनेन सह

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; नामानि इत्यस्य विशेषण

• संकीर्त्य: having recited
• संकीर्त्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + √कीर्त् (धातु) (कीर्तने) + ल्यप्
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययार्थक ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः—‘having sung/recited’

• गत्यर्थम्: for the purpose of liberation/attainment
• गत्यर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्याः अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्

• प्रार्थयेत्: should pray/request
• प्रार्थयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √अर्थ् (धातु) (याचने/प्रार्थने)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nāma-saṅkīrtana and prayer as means for protection and right course (gati) under the Supreme Brahman-Ātman.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as Brahman-ātman (inner Self) who safeguards dharma and grants auspicious destiny; śabda (nāma) as upāya for antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi.

Application: After reciting the epithets, explicitly articulate one’s intention—safe passage, right direction, freedom from obstacles—especially in liminal times (illness, travel, end-of-life).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: world/realm

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: sequences where nāma-recitation precedes petitions for gati/śānti

Characters & Entities

• Brahman

FAQs

What is the importance of reciting divine names (nāma-saṅkīrtana) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents name-recitation as a deliberate spiritual act that invokes protection and supports one’s gati—right progress or transition—followed by prayer to seal the intention.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul (gati) in the Garuda Purana context?

By linking saṅkīrtana and prārthanā to “gatyartham,” it indicates that remembrance and invocation are aids for attaining the proper course—spiritually and ritually—especially in transitional contexts emphasized in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Recite the prescribed divine names with clarity and devotion, then consciously pray for protection and right direction—using the practice to align conduct, intention, and spiritual focus.