Shloka 1

Dhyāna of Hari as the Nirguṇa Witness (Ātman), and the Attainment of Viṣṇu’s Realm

Devanagari script

ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / ध्यायिभिः प्रोच्यते ध्येयो ध्यानेन हरिरीश्वरः

Transliteration

'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / dhyāyibhiḥ procyate dhyeyo dhyānena harirīśvaraḥ

Translation

ഹരി അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—ധ്യാനികളാൽ ധ്യേയൻ പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; ധ്യാനത്തിലൂടെയേ ഈശ്വരനായ ഹരിയെ സാക്ഷാത്കരിക്കാം.

Word by Word

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Sambandha (Heading/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ध्यायिभिः: by meditators
• ध्यायिभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्तृ-करण), बहुवचन

• प्रोच्यते: is proclaimed
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• ध्येयः: worthy to be meditated upon
• ध्येयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्येय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ध्यै धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘to be meditated upon’

• ध्यानेन: by meditation
• ध्यानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हरिः-ईश्वरः (समानााधिकरण)

Speaker

Hari (Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari is the dhyeya; dhyāna is the means by which the Lord is realized.

Vedantic Theme: Upāsanā leading to īśvara-sākṣātkāra; mind purified by meditation becomes fit for knowledge.

Application: Establish a daily meditation practice with Hari as the chosen focus (form, name, or qualities), cultivating steadiness and remembrance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda) dhyāna/stotra sections (general)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Ishvara

FAQs

What is the importance of meditation (dhyāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames meditation as the means by which Hari, the supreme Lord, is realized—making dhyāna a direct spiritual practice for liberation-oriented understanding.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing post-death stages here, the verse points to the inner path: steady meditation on the divine (Hari) refines consciousness and supports liberation from repeated birth and death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt a daily meditation practice with Hari/Vishnu as the focal dhyeya—repetition of a Vishnu-mantra or mindful contemplation—to cultivate steadiness, ethical clarity, and devotion.