Shloka 38

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

विश्वरूपं तमेवैकमिति ज्ञात्वा विमुञ्चति / ओङ्कारं परमं ब्रह्म ध्यायेदब्जस्थितं विभुम्

Transliteration

viśvarūpaṃ tamevaikamiti jñātvā vimuñcati / oṅkāraṃ paramaṃ brahma dhyāyedabjasthitaṃ vibhum

Translation

ആ ഒരുവനേ വിശ്വരൂപമായ പരതത്ത്വമെന്ന് അറിഞ്ഞാൽ साधകൻ മോചിതനാകുന്നു. ഹൃദയപദ്മത്തിൽ അധിഷ്ഠിതനായ സർവ്വവ്യാപിയായ പ്രഭുവിനെ പരബ്രഹ്മരൂപ ‘ഓം’ ആയി ധ്യാനിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• विश्वरूपम्: the universal form
• विश्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (विश्वं रूपं यस्य तत्/विश्वं रूपम्)

• तम्: him/that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• एकम्: one (alone)
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तम् इति)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (Adverbial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; धातुः ज्ञा (जानाति)

• विमुञ्चति: releases/lets go
• विमुञ्चति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ओङ्कारम्: the syllable Oṃ (Oṅkāra)
• ओङ्कारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्म)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriya (Injunctive/विधेय क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अब्जस्थितम्: situated in the lotus
• अब्जस्थितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अब्ज-स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; स्थित = स्था धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (विभुम्/ब्रह्म); समासः तत्पुरुषः (अब्जे स्थितम्)

• विभुम्: the all-pervading Lord
• विभुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Realizing the One cosmic Reality (viśvarūpa) and meditating on Oṁ as Parabrahman leads to release (vimukti).

Vedantic Theme: Brahman as Oṁ; nondual recognition (eka-tattva-jñāna) with contemplative upāsanā culminating in liberation.

Application: Daily japa/meditation on Oṁ, visualizing the Lord seated in the heart-lotus; cultivate steady recognition that the many-formed cosmos is the One.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: inner sacred locus (yogic subtle center)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.39-42 (A-U-M, guṇa-maṇḍalas, heart-lotus visualization)

Characters & Entities

• Om (Oṅkāra)
• Brahman
• Vishnu (Vibhu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Oṅkāra (Om) in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Oṅkāra as the Supreme Brahman itself; meditating on Om is taught as a direct means to liberation through realization of the One Reality.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames release not primarily as a journey through realms, but as freedom attained by knowledge of the One cosmic Reality and steady meditation on Om in the heart-lotus.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate non-dual understanding (seeing the One in all) and adopt a daily Om-focused meditation, inwardly contemplating the all-pervading Lord in the heart.