Shloka 20

Devanagari script

करन्यासं स्वरैः कृत्वा शरीरे तु पुनर्न्यसेत् / ज्वलन्तं चिन्तयेत्प्राणमात्मसंशुद्धिकारकम्

Transliteration

karanyāsaṃ svaraiḥ kṛtvā śarīre tu punarnyaset / jvalantaṃ cintayetprāṇamātmasaṃśuddhikārakam

Translation

സ്വരങ്ങളാൽ കര-ന്യാസം ചെയ്ത്, അതേ സ്വരങ്ങളെ വീണ്ടും ശരീരത്തിൽ ന്യാസം ചെയ്യണം. പ്രാണനെ ജ്വലിക്കുന്നതായി ധ്യാനിക്കണം; അതാണ് ആത്മശുദ്ധിയുടെ കാരണമായത്.

Word by Word

• kara-nyāsam: hand-nyāsa (placing on the hands)
• kara-nyāsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक) + nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) एकवचन

• svaraiḥ: with the vowels
• svaraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण) बहुवचन

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल (having done)

• śarīre: in the body
• śarīre: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण) एकवचन

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• punar: again
• punar: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय (again)

• nyaset: should place/assign (nyāsa)
• nyaset: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√as (नि + अस्/न्यस् ‘to place’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• jvalantam: blazing
• jvalantam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √jval (ज्वल्) + śatṛ (शतृ) → jvalant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण

• cintayet: should contemplate
• cintayet: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √cint (चिन्त्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• prāṇam: the vital breath
• prāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) एकवचन

• ātma-saṃśuddhi-kārakam: causing purification of the self
• ātma-saṃśuddhi-kārakam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃśuddhi (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraka (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ/कृ + ण्वुल्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म) एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kara-nyāsa and deha-nyāsa culminate in prāṇa-dhyāna: inner fire of breath purifies the self and stabilizes mantra embodiment.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥ-śuddhi as prerequisite for higher knowledge/devotion; prāṇa as bridge between gross body and subtle mind.

Application: After hand-nyāsa, repeat the placements on the body; then visualize prāṇa as a steady flame (not agitating), coordinating breath with mantra to cleanse attention and intention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: body-as-altar

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.197.16 (nyāsa layering); Garuda Purana 1.197.17 (mantra structure)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Prana

FAQs

What is the importance of nyāsa (kara-nyāsa and body-nyāsa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents nyāsa as a deliberate sanctification of the practitioner’s hands and body through sacred sounds, preparing the inner and outer instrument for purification and effective ritual/meditation.

How does this verse explain purification through prāṇa?

It instructs meditation on prāṇa as “blazing,” implying a fire-like power that burns impurities and refines the subtle being (ātman/inner self) when supported by mantra and nyāsa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before japa or prayer, one may do a brief, reverent nyāsa (or mindful touch with mantra) and then meditate on the breath as luminous and purifying, using it to steady attention and cleanse reactive emotions.