Shloka 52

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोपि वा / यः स्मरेत्पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरं शुचिः

Transliteration

apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṃ gatopi vā / yaḥ smaretpuṇḍarīkākṣaṃ sa bāhyābhyantaraṃ śuciḥ

Translation

അപവിത്രനായാലും പവിത്രനായാലും, ഏതു അവസ്ഥയിൽ എത്തിയാലും—പുണ്ഡരീകാക്ഷനെ (കമലനേത്രനായ ഭഗവാനെ) സ്മരിക്കുന്നവൻ ബാഹ്യാന്തരമായി ശുദ്ധനാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अपवित्रः: impure
• अपवित्रः: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate complement
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• पवित्रः: pure
• पवित्रः: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate complement
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• सर्व-अवस्थाम्: every condition/state
• सर्व-अवस्थाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + अवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: सर्वा अवस्था

• गतः: having entered; being in
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate complement
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having gone/being in’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (particle ‘even/also’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात

• यः: who (whoever)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• स्मरेत्: should remember
• स्मरेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: Puṇḍarīkākṣa (lotus-eyed Lord)
• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-नाम; object of स्मरेत्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; correlative pronoun

• बाह्य-अभ्यन्तरम्: externally and internally
• बाह्य-अभ्यन्तरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बाह्य + अभ्यन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative) used adverbially; अव्ययवत्—‘externally and internally’

• शुचिः: pure; clean
• शुचिः: Predicate complement (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective of सः

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Smaraṇa of Puṇḍarīkākṣa purifies regardless of external purity or life-condition; divine remembrance transcends ritual limitations.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-smaraṇa as citta-śuddhi leading toward steadiness (sattva) and fitness for knowledge; grace (anugraha) complements effort.

Application: In any circumstance—stress, grief, moral lapse—return to Vishnu-smaraṇa; pair remembrance with corrective action and renewed discipline.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.47 (devotional/purificatory statements around śravaṇa-smaraṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Puṇḍarīkākṣa

FAQs

What is the importance of remembrance (smaraṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that remembering Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Viṣṇu) purifies a person in every circumstance, emphasizing inner transformation beyond merely external ritual conditions.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey and after-death context in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda’s after-death framework, purity of mind and devotion support auspicious states; the verse highlights Viṣṇu-smaraṇa as a powerful purifier even when one is constrained by difficult conditions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain remembrance/recitation of Viṣṇu’s name (especially in stressful or “impure” situations) as a daily discipline to cultivate inner cleanliness and ethical steadiness.