Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ध्यायन्त्येवं च ये विष्णुं ते यान्ति परमां गतिम् / याज्ञवल्क्यः पुरा ह्येवं ध्यात्वा विष्णुं सुरेश्वरम्

Transliteration

dhyāyantyevaṃ ca ye viṣṇuṃ te yānti paramāṃ gatim / yājñavalkyaḥ purā hyevaṃ dhyātvā viṣṇuṃ sureśvaram

Translation

Sesiapa yang bermeditasi kepada Viṣṇu dengan cara ini akan mencapai tujuan tertinggi. Demikianlah pada zaman dahulu, Yājñavalkya juga bermeditasi dengan cara yang sama kepada Viṣṇu, Tuhan para dewa.

Word by Word

• ध्यायन्ति: (they) meditate
• ध्यायन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एवं: thus, in this way
• एवं: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; संकेतवाचक सर्वनाम (correlative pronoun)

• यान्ति: go, attain
• यान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Karman-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• गतिम्: destination, state
• गतिम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Yājñavalkya
• याज्ञवल्क्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly, once
• पुरा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• एवं: thus
• एवं: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having done)

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुरेश्वरम्: Lord of the gods
• सुरेश्वरम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणाम् ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vishnu-dhyana as a direct means to attain the supreme goal; authority established through Yajnavalkya’s precedent.

Vedantic Theme: Upasana leading to moksha; smarana/dhyana as antahkarana-shuddhi and steadying of consciousness toward the Supreme.

Application: Adopt a daily Vishnu-dhyana practice (fixed time, steady posture, japa-supported meditation), using the verse as a sankalpa for liberation-oriented living.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda) Vishnu-smriti/dhyana passages around 1.92–1.93 emphasizing paramagati through Vishnu contemplation

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Yājñavalkya

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu meditation in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that meditating on Vishnu as instructed leads to the “supreme destination” (paramā gati), presenting Vishnu-dhyāna as a direct means to liberation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames the soul’s highest course not as fear of afterlife realms but as upward movement toward the supreme state through sustained contemplation of Vishnu.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt a daily practice of Vishnu-smaraṇa (remembrance) and dhyāna with steady attention; the verse emphasizes consistent inner orientation toward the divine as the core discipline.