Shloka 25

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

वाचके प्रणवे ज्ञाते वाच्यं ब्रह्म प्रसीदति / (ओंनमो विष्णवे)।षष्ठाक्षरश्च जप्तव्यो गायत्त्री द्वादशाक्षरी

Transliteration

vācake praṇave jñāte vācyaṃ brahma prasīdati / (oṃnamo viṣṇave).ṣaṣṭhākṣaraśca japtavyo gāyattrī dvādaśākṣarī

Translation

ఉచ్చరించబడే ప్రణవమైన ‘ఓం’ను యథార్థంగా తెలిసినప్పుడు, వాచ్యమైన బ్రహ్మ ప్రసన్నమై ప్రకాశిస్తుంది. అందువల్ల ‘ఓం నమో విష్ణవే’ అనే షడక్షర మంత్రాన్ని, అలాగే ద్వాదశాక్షరీ గాయత్రిని కూడా జపించాలి.

Word by Word

• vācake: in/with the utterer (vācaka)
• vācake: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vācaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• praṇave: in/with the praṇava (Oṃ)
• praṇave: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• jñāte: when (it is) known/recognized
• jñāte: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा, धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• vācyam: that which is to be expressed/uttered
• vācyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vācya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्मणः)

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्ता

• prasīdati: is pleased/propitiated
• prasīdati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sad (सद्, धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• oṃ: Oṃ
• oṃ: Sambandha (Mantra particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: oṃ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-उच्चारण (sacred syllable; indeclinable)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sampradana (Dative complement/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नमः-शब्दः अव्ययीभूतः; उपपद-योगे दत्तिवत् (used with dative)

• viṣṇave: to Viṣṇu
• viṣṇave: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान

• ṣaṣṭha-akṣaraḥ: the sixth syllable
• ṣaṣṭha-akṣaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṣṭha (संख्या-क्रमवाचक-प्रातिपदिक) + akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (षष्ठः अक्शरः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• japtavyaḥ: is to be recited
• japtavyaḥ: Kriya (Obligation predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (जप्, धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (कर्तव्यता)

• gāyatrī: the Gāyatrī (mantra)
• gāyatrī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्ता/विषय

• dvādaśa-akṣarī: having twelve syllables
• dvādaśa-akṣarī: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + akṣarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्वादश-अक्षरी = द्वादशाक्षराणि यस्याः (निर्धारण-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Right understanding and repetition of Pranava and Viṣṇu-mantra/Gāyatrī aligns speech-mind with Brahman, inviting grace and realization.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda as pramāṇa and upāsanā: from nāma-rūpa support (mantra) to nirguṇa realization; īśvara-anugraha as catalyst.

Application: Integrate daily japa: (1) Oṁ with attentive meaning, (2) ‘Oṁ namo Viṣṇave’ as steady nāma-japa, (3) Gāyatrī with correct chandas and intention; keep purity of pronunciation and mental focus.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.24 (mātrā-measure of Oṁ); Garuda Purana 1.235.26-28 (pratyāhāra and dhāraṇā supporting mantra)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahman
• Pranava
• Gayatri

FAQs

What is the importance of Pranava (Oṃ) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that knowing Oṃ as the expressive sacred sound leads to the gracious revelation of Brahman, making Pranava central to realization and mantra practice.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing punishments or afterlife geography, it points to the inner path: mantra-japa and understanding of Oṃ purify awareness and orient the soul toward Brahman and Viṣṇu.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a daily japa discipline—especially “Oṃ namo Viṣṇave”—and study/meditate on the meaning of Oṃ, using mantra as a tool for steadiness, ethical living, and spiritual clarity.