Shloka 6

Devanagari script

दुर्गां गणं सरस्वतीं क्षेत्रपालं च कोणके / आसनं मूर्तिमभ्यर्च्य वासुदेवं बलं स्मरन्

Transliteration

durgāṃ gaṇaṃ sarasvatīṃ kṣetrapālaṃ ca koṇake / āsanaṃ mūrtimabhyarcya vāsudevaṃ balaṃ smaran

Translation

Setelah mempersembahkan pemujaan kepada Durgā, Gaṇeśa, Sarasvatī dan Kṣetrapāla di penjuru ruang suci, serta memuja dengan hormat āsana dan mūrti yang telah ditahbiskan, hendaklah ia mengingati Vāsudeva bersama Bala (kekuatan/Śakti-Nya).

Word by Word

• दुर्गाम्: Durgā
• दुर्गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गणम्: Gaṇa (attendant group/deity)
• गणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सरस्वतीम्: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्षेत्रपालम्: guardian of the place (Kṣetrapāla)
• क्षेत्रपालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी: क्षेत्रस्य पालः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• कोणके: in a corner
• कोणके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोणक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• आसनम्: seat; posture
• आसनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मूर्तिम्: image; form (idol)
• मूर्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातुः—अर्च् (पूजायाम्) उपसर्गः—अभि; ‘having worshipped’

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बलम्: Bala (Balarāma/strength)
• बलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्मरन्: remembering
• स्मरन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त/Present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual hierarchy: honor protective/auxiliary deities and the seat/image, then center the mind on Vāsudeva with Bala (divine power/strength).

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-bhakti supported by upādhis (ritual forms) leading to ekāgratā; śakti (bala) as inseparable from the Lord’s presence in worship.

Application: In any devotional practice: prepare the environment (clean, protect, invoke auspiciousness), then shift from external offerings to internal smaraṇa of Vāsudeva.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred space (altar/maṇḍapa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana upāsanā passages: kṣetrapāla/gaṇeśa pūjā as āvaraṇa-devatā before main deity worship; Garuda Purana: Vāsudeva-centered remembrance in daily rites

Characters & Entities

• Durgā
• Gaṇeśa
• Sarasvatī
• Kṣetrapāla
• Vāsudeva
• Bala

FAQs

What is the importance of invoking Durgā, Gaṇeśa, Sarasvatī, and Kṣetrapāla in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse presents a preparatory sequence: obstacles are removed (Gaṇeśa), knowledge/clarity is invoked (Sarasvatī), protective power is established (Durgā), and the ritual space is guarded (Kṣetrapāla) before proceeding to remembrance of Vāsudeva.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals and sacred rites?

It indicates the correct ritual framing—sanctifying the place (including the corner guardian), honoring the seat and installed form, and then centering the rite in remembrance of Vāsudeva—an approach used to ensure purity, protection, and efficacy in solemn rites such as śrāddha and other observances.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before any serious religious observance, first prepare the space, begin with obstacle-removal and protection, worship the altar/seat respectfully, and keep the mind anchored in Vāsudeva (the sustaining divine principle) rather than performing rites mechanically.