Shloka 6

Devanagari script

ॐ हां तन्महेशाय विद्महे,वाग्विशुद्धाय धीमहि, तन्नो रुद्रः प्रचोदयात्

Transliteration

oṃ hāṃ tanmaheśāya vidmahe,vāgviśuddhāya dhīmahi, tanno rudraḥ pracodayāt

Translation

Om. Kami mengetahui dan bermeditasi kepada Tuhan Tertinggi Maheśa; kami merenung Dia yang tutur katanya tersuci sempurna. Semoga Rudra itu mengilhamkan serta membimbing pengertian kami.

Word by Word

• ॐ: Om (sacred syllable)
• ॐ: Sambodhana/Mantra-invocation (आह्वान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; मन्त्र-प्रणव (indeclinable sacred syllable)

• हां: bīja syllable “hāṃ”
• हां: Mantra-element (मन्त्राङ्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हां (बीजाक्षर/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; बीजमन्त्राक्षर (bīja syllable)

• तत्: that (divine one/that reality)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (accusative singular; used as object of vidmahe/dhīmahi)

• महेशाय: to Mahēśa (Great Lord)
• महेशाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक; महा + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचन (dative singular)

• विद्महे: we know
• विद्महे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (we know)

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Compound-member (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (nominative singular; first member in compound)

• विशुद्धाय: to the purified/pure one
• विशुद्धाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशुद्ध (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; वि + शुध् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचन (dative singular; qualifying deity)

• वाग्विशुद्धाय: to the speech-purifying (one)
• वाग्विशुद्धाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् + विशुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति; एकवचन (dative singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—वाचः विशुद्धः (purifier/pure in respect of speech)

• धीमहि: we meditate
• धीमहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present); उत्तमपुरुष; बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (we meditate/hold in mind)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन (accusative singular)

• नः: of us / our
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति; बहुवचन (genitive plural enclitic)

• तन्नः: that (may) for us / our
• तन्नः: Karma + Sambandha (कर्म + सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + नः (सन्धि)
• Form: सन्धि-रूपम्; तत् (नपुं. द्वितीया एक.) + नः (षष्ठी बहु.)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन (nominative singular)

• प्रचोदयात्: may (he) inspire/impel
• प्रचोदयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चुद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative/benedictive sense); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः प्र- (may he impel)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (instructional context to Garuda; mantra cited as a devotional/meditative formula)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Buddhi-pracodana (inspiration of understanding) through mantra and vāk-śuddhi (purification of speech).

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi as a prerequisite for right knowledge; īśvara as the inner guide (antaryāmin) who illumines cognition.

Application: Use as a daily japa before study/teaching/sacred recitation; keep speech truthful, measured, and sattvic as part of sādhanā.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.23 (mantra/vidhi context: solar and deity worship sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Mahesha
• Rudra
• Om

FAQs

What is the importance of Rudra (Mahesha) worship in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Rudra as the divine force that purifies speech and awakens right understanding, making devotion a means to inner clarity and spiritual discipline.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing purification (especially of speech) and divine inspiration of the intellect, it points to inner refinement as a support for dharma and higher realization—foundational for the soul’s progress.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the mantra as a daily meditation for truthful, restrained speech and clear thinking—especially before study, prayer, or ethical decision-making.