Shloka 17

Bhadrā and Mitravindā: The Fruits of Namaskāra, Pradakṣiṇā, Hari-nāma, and Śravaṇa of Bhāgavata Kathā

Devanagari script

सापि प्रदक्षिणं चक्रे नमस्कारं सदा हरेः / एवं बहुदिनं कृत्वा ध्यात्वा नारायणं परम्

Transliteration

sāpi pradakṣiṇaṃ cakre namaskāraṃ sadā hareḥ / evaṃ bahudinaṃ kṛtvā dhyātvā nārāyaṇaṃ param

Translation

ਉਸ ਨੇ ਵੀ ਪ੍ਰਦਕਸ਼ਿਣਾ ਕੀਤੀ ਅਤੇ ਸਦਾ ਹਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਨਮਸਕਾਰ ਕਰਦੀ ਰਹੀ। ਇਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਬਹੁਤ ਦਿਨਾਂ ਤੱਕ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਪਰਮ ਨਾਰਾਇਣ ਦਾ ਧਿਆਨ ਕੀਤਾ।

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation (clockwise)
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of manner)

• चक्रे: did/made
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नमस्कारम्: salutation
• नमस्कारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• बहु-दिनम्: for many days
• बहु-दिनम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (duration)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Continual namaskāra and pradakṣiṇā, sustained over time, ripen into dhyāna of the Supreme Nārāyaṇa.

Vedantic Theme: Upāsanā (dhyāna) supported by bodily devotion (kāyika-bhakti) leading toward one-pointedness (ekāgratā) and inner peace.

Application: Establish a repeatable devotional cycle: daily namaskāra + brief pradakṣiṇā + seated dhyāna on Nārāyaṇa; maintain it over many days to build niṣṭhā.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (shringara)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (general): Nārāyaṇa-dhyāna and Viṣṇu-bhakti as purifying and protective

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Narayana

FAQs

What is the importance of pradakshina and namaskara in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents pradakṣiṇā and continual namaskāra to Hari as sustained devotional practice that steadies the mind in dharma and supports remembrance of Nārāyaṇa—an essential spiritual aid emphasized in the Purāṇic path.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in Garuda Purana teachings?

By highlighting long-term meditation on the Supreme Nārāyaṇa, the verse aligns with the Garuda Purana’s stress on God-remembrance (Nārāyaṇa-smṛti) as a protective inner resource when facing post-death transitions and fear on the way to Yama’s domain.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a daily rhythm of simple devotion—pradakṣiṇā, namaskāra, and a few minutes of Nārāyaṇa-dhyāna—so remembrance becomes natural, especially during illness, grief, or end-of-life rites.