Shloka 32

Viṣṇu-pūjāvidhi: Śuddhi, Nyāsa, Dhyāna, Āsana-devatā Pūjā, Upacāras, and Stotra

Devanagari script

रहस्यं परमं गुह्यं भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदं परम् / एतद्यश्च पठेद्विद्वान्विष्णुभक्तः पुमान्हर / शृणुयाच्छ्रावयेद्वापि विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति

Transliteration

rahasyaṃ paramaṃ guhyaṃ bhuktimuktipradaṃ param / etadyaśca paṭhedvidvānviṣṇubhaktaḥ pumānhara / śṛṇuyācchrāvayedvāpi viṣṇulokaṃ sa gacchati

Translation

Inilah rahsia tertinggi, paling tersembunyi dan paling luhur, yang mengurniakan kenikmatan dunia (bhukti) dan pembebasan (mukti). Wahai Hara, orang bijaksana yang berbhakti kepada Viṣṇu, yang membacanya—atau sekadar mendengarnya atau memperdengarkan kepada orang lain—akan pergi ke Viṣṇu-loka.

Word by Word

• रहस्यम्: secret (teaching)
• रहस्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गुह्यम्: to be kept hidden
• गुह्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (√गुह् धातु, यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (गोपनीय)

• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदम्: granting enjoyment and liberation
• भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (√दा धातु) → भुक्तिमुक्तिप्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (भुक्तिं च मुक्तिं च प्रददाति)

• परम्: highest
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक

• च: and
• च: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• पठेत्: should read/recite
• पठेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• विद्वान्: a learned person
• विद्वान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेष्य-रूपेण (wise man)

• विष्णुभक्तः: a devotee of Vishnu
• विष्णुभक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (√भज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक) → विष्णुभक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः भक्तः)

• पुमान्: a man
• पुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हर: O Hara
• हर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• शृणुयात्: should listen
• शृणुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• श्रावयेत्: should cause to hear / recite to others
• श्रावयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + णिच् (causative) → √श्रावय्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• वा: or
• वा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

• अपि: also
• अपि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• विष्णुलोकम्: Vishnu’s world
• विष्णुलोकम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) → विष्णुलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः लोकः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गच्छति: goes/attains
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra; with an address to Hara as a vocative within the verse)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The teaching is a rahasya that bestows both bhukti and mukti; even hearing or enabling hearing yields access to Viṣṇu’s realm.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana through śravaṇa-kīrtana: transformative potency of sacred sound; grace-mediated ascent to the Lord’s abode.

Application: Read/recite regularly, listen attentively, and sponsor/teach recitation to others (śrāvaṇa-śrāvaṇa) as a devotional practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: divine abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.31.30-31 (dhyāna and mūlamantra-japa); Garuda Purana 1.32.1 (transition to pañcatattvārchana)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vishnuloka
• Hara

FAQs

What is the importance of hearing (śravaṇa) and reciting (pāṭha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even hearing or facilitating the hearing of this secret teaching—along with recitation—grants the highest fruit: attainment of Viṣṇu’s realm, showing śravaṇa and pāṭha as direct devotional practices.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation?

It frames liberation as accessible through Viṣṇu-bhakti expressed via study, recitation, and attentive listening; the promised destination is Viṣṇuloka, indicating a devotional route rather than a purely ritual or ascetic one.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Read or chant such teachings regularly, listen with attention, and share them responsibly (e.g., group recitation or teaching), cultivating steady Viṣṇu-devotion aimed at both ethical living and spiritual liberation.