Shloka 13

Nārāyaṇa-Smaraṇa as the Supreme Dharma, Expiation, and Yogic Purifier

Devanagari script

प्रमादात्कुर्वतां कर्म प्रच्यवेताध्वरेषु यत् / स्मरणादेव तद्विष्णोः संपूर्णं स्यादिति श्रुतिः

Transliteration

pramādātkurvatāṃ karma pracyavetādhvareṣu yat / smaraṇādeva tadviṣṇoḥ saṃpūrṇaṃ syāditi śrutiḥ

Translation

కర్మలు చేయుచూ అజాగ్రత్తవశాత్తు యజ్ఞాది కర్మలలో ఏదైనా లోటు ఏర్పడితే, విష్ణువును స్మరించడమే దానిని సంపూర్ణం చేస్తుంది—అని శ్రుతి ప్రకటిస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• प्रमादात्: from negligence
• प्रमादात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• कुर्वताम्: of those performing
• कुर्वताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त) → कुर्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः वर्तमान-कृदन्तः (of those who are doing)

• कर्म: ritual act, action
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• प्रच्यवेत्: might slip/fall short
• प्रच्यवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-च्यु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• अध्वरेषु: in sacrifices
• अध्वरेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• यत्: whatever (defect)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रयोगः (that which)

• स्मरणात्: from remembrance
• स्मरणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मरण (प्रातिपदिक); स्मृ (धातु) + ल्युट्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थकः (by/from remembrance)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपातः (just/indeed)

• तत्: that (act/defect)
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• विष्णोः: of Vishnu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• संपूर्णम्: complete
• संपूर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संपूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• स्यात्: would become
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपातः (quotative particle)

• श्रुतिः: scriptural statement, tradition
• श्रुतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual shortcomings due to pramāda are made whole by remembering Viṣṇu; śruti-authorized primacy of smaraṇa.

Vedantic Theme: Inner devotion as the purifier and completer of karma; the Lord as yajña-puruṣa who receives and perfects offerings beyond human limitation.

Application: Before/after any worship or important duty, do Viṣṇu-smaraṇa (name, mantra, or brief prayer) to steady attention and remedy inadvertent lapses.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual arena (yajña/adhvara)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.230.9 (mind fixed on Janārdana); Garuda Purana 1.230.10 (dhyāna as highest)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shruti

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu-smaraṇa (remembering Vishnu) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that remembrance of Viṣṇu has a corrective, completing power—able to make up for inadvertent omissions in ritual action, as affirmed by Śruti.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals like śrāddha or piṇḍa-dāna?

In rites performed for ancestors or the departed, mistakes can occur due to human limitation; the verse emphasizes that sincere remembrance of Viṣṇu can spiritually “complete” what was unintentionally left deficient.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform duties carefully, but if an honest mistake happens, cultivate steady remembrance of Viṣṇu (nāma/smaraṇa) as a dharmic remedy rather than falling into anxiety or abandoning practice.