Shloka 36

Devanagari script

सदा चित्तं समासक्तं जन्तोर्विषयगोचरे / यदि नारायणे ऽप्येवं को न मुच्येत बन्धनात्

Transliteration

sadā cittaṃ samāsaktaṃ jantorviṣayagocare / yadi nārāyaṇe 'pyevaṃ ko na mucyeta bandhanāt

Translation

జీవి మనస్సు సదా విషయగోచరంలో బలంగా ఆసక్తమై ఉంటుంది. అదే ఆసక్తి నారాయణునిపై కూడా అలా స్థిరమైతే, బంధనంనుండి ఎవరు విముక్తి పొందరు?

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• चित्तम्: mind
• चित्तम्: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा—विधेयवाक्ये कर्तृपद

• समासक्तम्: attached/absorbed
• समासक्तम्: Visheshana (predicate adjective of citta)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समासक्त (कृदन्त; √सञ्ज् धातु with सम्+आ उपसर्ग; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle)

• जन्तोः: of the creature/person
• जन्तोः: Sambandha (possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• विषय-गोचरे: in the range of sense-objects
• विषय-गोचरे: Adhikarana (locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'विषयाणां गोचरः' (sphere of objects)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Hetu/Upapatti (condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निपात (conditional conjunction)

• नारायणे: in Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणे: Adhikarana (locus/object of devotion/absorption)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-निपात (particle 'also/even')

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• मुच्येत: would be liberated
• मुच्येत: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (मुच् धातु; passive/ātmanepada)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• बन्धनात्: from bondage
• बन्धनात्: Apadana (source/separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Narayana) speaking to Garuda (Vinata-putra), in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The mind’s natural clinging can be transmuted: if it attaches to Nārāyaṇa with the same force as to sense-objects, bondage ends.

Vedantic Theme: Bandha as citta-vṛtti toward viṣayas; mokṣa as viṣaya-vairāgya and īśvara-ālambana; transformation of rāga into bhakti.

Application: Observe habitual cravings; consciously substitute them with repeated Nārāyaṇa-smaraṇa, mantra, and visualization until the new attachment becomes spontaneous.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated emphasis on Viṣṇu-smaraṇa as the boat across saṃsāra

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Jantu (embodied being)

FAQs

What is the importance of attachment (āsakti) in Garuda Purana teachings?

This verse highlights that the mind naturally clings to sense-objects; the same power of attachment, when redirected to Nārāyaṇa, becomes a direct means to liberation from worldly bondage.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation?

It implies that bondage persists due to fixation on viṣayas (sense-objects). When the mind’s fixation is transferred to the Divine (Nārāyaṇa), the binding tendencies that fuel saṃsāra are dissolved, leading to release.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Notice where your attention repeatedly goes (desire, fear, consumption) and deliberately train that same focus into daily devotion—japa, nāma-smaraṇa, kīrtana, and ethical living—so attachment becomes spiritual steadiness instead of bondage.