Shloka 19

Devanagari script

प्राणायामसहस्नैस्तु यत्पापं नश्यति ध्रुवम् / क्षणमात्रेण तत्पापं हरेर्ध्यानात्प्रणश्यति

Transliteration

prāṇāyāmasahasnaistu yatpāpaṃ naśyati dhruvam / kṣaṇamātreṇa tatpāpaṃ harerdhyānātpraṇaśyati

Translation

ప్రాణాయామాన్ని వేలసార్లు ఆచరించితే నిశ్చయంగా నశించే పాపం, అదే పాపం హరి (విష్ణు) ధ్యానంతో క్షణమాత్రంలోనే నశిస్తుంది.

Word by Word

• प्राणायामसहस्नैः: by thousands of breath-controls
• प्राणायामसहस्नैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणायाम + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्राणायामानां सहस्रैः = by thousands of prāṇāyāmas)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• नश्यति: perishes/is destroyed
• नश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• क्षणमात्रेण: in/with a mere moment
• क्षणमात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (क्षण एव मात्रा = mere moment)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (demonstrative)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

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

• ध्यानात्: from meditation
• ध्यानात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• प्रणश्यति: is completely destroyed
• प्रणश्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari-dhyāna destroys pāpa more swiftly than extensive prāṇāyāma; remembrance is the supreme purifier.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-smṛti as immediate antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi; grace (anugraha) surpassing mere sādhana-effort; bhakti as direct means to purification supporting mokṣa.

Application: Adopt daily Hari-dhyāna/japa as primary atonement and mind-purification; use prāṇāyāma as supportive, not substitutive, for devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta/Upadeśa sections): repeated emphasis on Viṣṇu-nāma as pāpa-hara; Garuda Purana: nāma-smaraṇa at death as liberative motif

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Hari-dhyana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse elevates meditation on Hari as an exceptionally swift purifier, capable of destroying sins even faster than extensive disciplines like thousands of prāṇāyāmas.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing rapid purification through Vishnu-meditation, it implies that inner devotion and focused remembrance help lighten karmic burdens that shape the soul’s post-death trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Alongside ethical living and daily discipline, set aside a brief, consistent moment for Hari-smaraṇa (Vishnu meditation/recitation) as a direct practice of mental purification.