Garuda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Mahāyoga: Detachment from ‘I/Mine’, Aṣṭāṅga Practice, Oṁkāra and Aham-Brahmāsmi Contemplation

Devanagari script

प्राङ्नाड्यां हृदये चात्र तृतीया च तथोरसि / कण्ठे मुखे ना सिकाग्रे नेत्रे भ्रूमध्यमूर्धसु

Transliteration

prāṅnāḍyāṃ hṛdaye cātra tṛtīyā ca tathorasi / kaṇṭhe mukhe nā sikāgre netre bhrūmadhyamūrdhasu

Translation

അഗ്രഗാമിനാഡിയിൽ ഹൃദയം എന്നു പറയുന്നു; മൂന്നാം കേന്ദ്രം വക്ഷസ്ഥലത്തും. പിന്നെ കണ്ഠം, മുഖം, നാസികാഗ്രം, നേത്രങ്ങൾ, ഭ്രൂമധ്യം, മസ്തകശിഖരം എന്നിവിടങ്ങളിൽ (പ്രാണസ്ഥാനങ്ങൾ) ഉണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• प्राक्-नाड्याम्: in the anterior nāḍī (channel)
• प्राक्-नाड्याम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय) + नाडी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावसमासः (प्राक् + नाडी) = ‘पूर्वदिशि स्थितायां नाड्याम्’

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• तृतीया: the third (dhāraṇā)
• तृतीया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-शब्दः (the ‘third’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘likewise/so’)

• उरसि: in the chest
• उरसि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• कण्ठे: in the throat
• कण्ठे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• मुखे: in the mouth
• मुखे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• नासिका-अग्रे: at the tip of the nose
• नासिका-अग्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासिका (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नासिकायाः अग्रे)

• नेत्रे: in the eye(s)
• नेत्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (स्थाने-एकवचनप्रयोगः)

• भ्रू-मध्य-मूर्धसु: on the crown (of the head) at the middle of the eyebrows
• भ्रू-मध्य-मूर्धसु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (भ्रुवोः मध्ये मूर्धसु)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharanā-supports (ādhāra) in the subtle body: heart, chest, throat, mouth, nose-tip, eyes, brow-center, crown—used to stabilize prāṇa and mind.

Vedantic Theme: Antar-yāga: using the body-mind as an instrument to transcend it; preparation for ātma-jñāna through ekāgratā.

Application: In meditation, choose one locus (e.g., bhrūmadhya or hṛdaya), keep posture steady, and gently return attention to that point with the breath until attention becomes continuous.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: subtle-body locus (nāḍī/centers)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.226.22-25 (tenfold dhāraṇā; Oṃkāra as Brahman)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Nāḍī

FAQs

What is the importance of nāḍīs and vital centers in the Garuda Purana?

This verse maps key inner locations (heart, chest, throat, nose-tip, eyes, brow-center, crown) used to explain how prāṇa and awareness operate in the subtle body—an essential framework for understanding death-transition and post-death teachings in the Garuda Purana.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death?

By identifying specific subtle-body loci, the text supports the broader Garuda Purana narrative that the departing life-force and consciousness follow defined inner pathways; these descriptions underpin later explanations of how the jīva experiences transition, rites, and after-death states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a contemplative map for disciplined living—prayer, breath-awareness, and ethical conduct—so the mind remains steady at vital centers (especially heart/brow/crown), aligning one’s life with dharma and preparing for a peaceful end-of-life transition.