Shloka 2

Mṛtyuñjaya/Amṛteśvara Upāsanā: Three-Syllable Mantra, Kavaca, Japa-Phala, and Pūjā-Aṅgas

Devanagari script

ओङ्कारं पूर्वमुद्धृत्य जु(हु)ङ्कांरं तदनन्तरम् / सविसर्गं तृतीयं स्यान्मृत्युदारिद्रयमर्दनम्

Transliteration

oṅkāraṃ pūrvamuddhṛtya ju(hu)ṅkāṃraṃ tadanantaram / savisargaṃ tṛtīyaṃ syānmṛtyudāridrayamardanam

Translation

प्रथमं ओङ्कारम् उच्चार्य, तदनन्तरं हुंकारं (जुंकारं वा) वदेत्। तृतीयं विसर्गयुक्तं स्यात्; एष त्रयः मृत्युदारिद्र्यं मर्दयन्ति।

Word by Word

• ओङ्कारम्: the syllable Oṃkāra
• ओङ्कारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पूर्वम्: first
• पूर्वम्: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘first/before’

• उद्धृत्य: having uttered/raised
• उद्धृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-√हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) — ‘having uttered/raised’

• जुङ्कारम्: the syllable ‘juṅkāra/huṅkāra’
• जुङ्कारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जुङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; पाठभेदः: जु(हु)ङ्कारम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Reference/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• अनन्तरम्: immediately after
• अनन्तरम्: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘immediately after’

• सविसर्गम्: with visarga
• सविसर्गम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + विसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘विसर्गसहितम्’

• तृतीयम्: the third
• तृतीयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• मृत्युदारिद्रयमर्दनम्: crusher of death and poverty
• मृत्युदारिद्रयमर्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + दारिद्र्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मर्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समाहार-तत्पुरुषः — ‘मृत्यु-दारिद्र्ययोः मर्दनम्’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra, typical narration flow of Garuda Purana)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Correct utterance and sequencing of praṇava and bīja (oṁ + huṁ/juṁ + visarga-bearing third) is asserted to destroy obstacles—especially death-fear and poverty.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda as a vehicle of īśvara-śakti; disciplined practice (sādhana) transforms lived experience.

Application: Maintain accurate pronunciation (including visarga), learn from a competent teacher, and apply the triad as part of a protective japa/arcana regimen, especially in times of fear, illness, or financial distress.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: mantra-prayoga (ritual phonetic sequence)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: mantra-bīja and kavaca usage in protective rites; Garuda Purana: Mṛtyuñjaya arcana sequence continues in adjacent verses

FAQs

What is the importance of this mantra-style instruction in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents a specific sequence of sacred syllables (Oṁ, huṁ/juṁ, and a visarga-ending utterance) as a protective practice, framed as capable of countering forces associated with death and poverty.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by emphasizing protective recitation against 'mṛtyu' (death), it reflects the text’s broader concern with safeguarding life and ensuring auspicious conditions that support dharma and proper end-of-life rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a disciplined recitation with correct pronunciation (especially the visarga ḥ), ideally learned from a qualified teacher, and pair it with ethical living and prescribed duties rather than treating it as a substitute for dharma.