Shloka 1

Nārāyaṇa-Smaraṇa as the Supreme Dharma, Expiation, and Yogic Purifier

Devanagari script

नामैकोनत्रिशदुत्तरद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / आलोक्य सर्वशास्त्राणि विचार्य च पुनः पुनः / इदमेकं सुनिष्पन्नं ध्येयो नारायणः सदा

Transliteration

nāmaikonatriśaduttaradviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / ālokya sarvaśāstrāṇi vicārya ca punaḥ punaḥ / idamekaṃ suniṣpannaṃ dhyeyo nārāyaṇaḥ sadā

Translation

Sūta berkata: Setelah meneliti segala śāstra dan merenungkannya berulang kali, satu kesimpulan ini teguh terbukti—Nārāyaṇa sahaja yang harus sentiasa direnungkan.

Word by Word

• नाम: now/namely
• नाम: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: पदपूरण/उपोद्घातार्थक-अव्यय (introductory particle: 'now/namely')

• एकोनत्रिशदुत्तरद्विशततमः: the 229th (two-hundred-and-twenty-ninth)
• एकोनत्रिशदुत्तरद्विशततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकोनत्रिंशत् + उत्तर + द्विशत + तम (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (अध्यायः)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आलोक्य: having examined/seen
• आलोक्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ+लोक् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• सर्वशास्त्राणि: all scriptures
• सर्वशास्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• विचार्य: having reflected/considered
• विचार्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि+चर् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: आवृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (repetition)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/विधेय), एकवचन

• एकम्: one/single
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (इदम्)

• सुनिष्पन्नम्: well-established/fully concluded
• सुनिष्पन्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + नि+ष्पद्/निष्पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (इदम्)

• ध्येयः: to be meditated upon
• ध्येयः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्मणि-भावे साध्य/योग्य अर्थे यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (नारायणः)

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/विधेय), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: नित्यत्वार्थक-अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Sūta Uvāca)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sarva-śāstra-sāra: the established conclusion is constant dhyāna of Nārāyaṇa.

Vedantic Theme: Ekatva-niṣṭhā in Brahman/Īśvara; smaraṇa/dhyāna as a direct means to purification and liberation-oriented steadiness.

Application: Adopt a daily meditation practice centered on Nārāyaṇa (name, form, qualities); use scriptural study to simplify—not complicate—one’s sādhana.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.230.2; Garuda Purana 1.230.3; Garuda Purana 1.229.8

Characters & Entities

• Nārāyaṇa
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the main conclusion of this verse in the Garuda Purana?

After examining all śāstras, it declares a single settled conclusion: one should always meditate on Nārāyaṇa.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana themes like karma, death, and afterlife?

It frames the larger teachings (including karma and post-death consequences) within a devotional-spiritual core: steady remembrance and contemplation of Nārāyaṇa as the highest guiding practice.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Regularly set aside time for Nārāyaṇa-smaraṇa—japa, dhyāna, or recitation—using scriptural study as support, and return to this focus consistently.