Shloka 6

The Ninefold Rite (Navavidhi): Worship of Sudarśana-Cakra and the Disease-Destroying Hymn

Devanagari script

पूजयेद्रन्धपुष्पाद्यैरुपचारैर्महेश्वर / पूजयित्वा जपेन्मन्त्रं शतमष्टोत्तरं नरः

Transliteration

pūjayedrandhapuṣpādyairupacārairmaheśvara / pūjayitvā japenmantraṃ śatamaṣṭottaraṃ naraḥ

Translation

हे महेश्वर, गन्धपुष्पाद्यैः उपचारैः पूजयेत्; पूजयित्वा नरः मन्त्रं शतमष्टोत्तरं जपेत्।

Word by Word

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (पूजायाम्)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रन्धपुष्पाद्यैः: with fragrant substances, flowers, etc.
• रन्धपुष्पाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = ‘etc.’ अर्थे समाहार

• उपचारैः: with offerings/services
• उपचारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• महेश्वर: O Maheshvara
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन; संबोधन

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (पूजायाम्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having worshipped’

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जप् (जपे)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मन्त्रम्: the mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Measure/परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (प्रमाण/परिमाण), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• अष्टोत्तरम्: plus eight (i.e., 108)
• अष्टोत्तरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘शत’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (108)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Upacāra-pūjā followed by mantra-japa (108) as a complete devotional act combining external offering and internal repetition.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga infused with devotion: outward acts (pūjā) purify and support inward absorption (japa).

Application: Offer flowers/incense with attention; then recite the chosen mantra 108 times using a mālā, maintaining one-pointedness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: ritual_space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.33 (sequence: pūjā → japa; Sudarśana/Viṣṇu protective worship context)

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of 108 (śatam aṣṭottaram) japa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse prescribes 108 repetitions as a complete, disciplined measure of mantra practice to accompany proper worship (pūjā) and upacāras.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing worship and mantra-japa, it points to dharmic practice and devotion as supports for purification and auspicious spiritual progress, which the Garuda Purana links to one’s post-death trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform a simple Śiva pūjā (flowers and basic offerings) and recite the chosen mantra 108 times with focus and regularity as a daily discipline.