Shloka 50

Hayagrīva Pūjāvidhi: Root Mantra, Nyāsa, Maṇḍala-Devatā Worship, and Stotra

Devanagari script

स्तुवीत चान्या स्तुत्या प्रणवाद्यैर्वृषध्वज / ॐ नमो हयशिरसे विद्याध्यक्षाय वै नमः

Transliteration

stuvīta cānyā stutyā praṇavādyairvṛṣadhvaja / oṃ namo hayaśirase vidyādhyakṣāya vai namaḥ

Translation

ప్రణవం ‘ఓం’తో ప్రారంభమయ్యే మరో స్తోత్రంతో వృషధ్వజ ప్రభువును స్తుతించాలి—“ఓం, హయశిరస్కునకు నమస్కారం; విద్యాధ్యక్షునకు నిశ్చయంగా నమస్కారం।”

Word by Word

• स्तुवीत: should praise
• स्तुवीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्तु (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• अन्यया: with another
• अन्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (with another)

• स्तुत्या: with a hymn/praise
• स्तुत्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रणव-आद्यैः: with (mantras) beginning with the praṇava (oṃ)
• प्रणव-आद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आदि-शब्देन 'beginning with'); विशेषण-प्रयोगः

• वृषध्वज: O bull-bannered one
• वृषध्वज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—'वृषः ध्वजः यस्य सः'

• ॐ: oṃ
• ॐ: Sambandha (Mantra particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रणव-स्वर (sacred syllable)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः (indeclinable interjection); नमस्-शब्दस्य अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः

• हयशिरसे: to (the one with) a horse-head
• हयशिरसे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (शिरस्), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (हयस्य शिरः)

• विद्या-अध्यक्षाय: to the presiding lord of knowledge
• विद्या-अध्यक्षाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विद्यायाः अध्यक्षः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle: indeed)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (Salutation/नमस्कार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; नमस्कारार्थक

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Stuti beginning with praṇava aligns devotion with the primordial sound; the deity is approached as the source and governor of vidyā.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-brahman orientation: sacred sound as a doorway to Brahman; knowledge as divine grace rather than mere acquisition.

Application: Begin study or teaching with a brief praṇava and a Hayagrīva/Hayashirā salutation; cultivate humility that learning is stewardship under the divine.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: mantra-space/altar (implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.34 (sequence of stuti to the deity; continuity of worship instructions)

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva)
• Hayashirā/Hayagrīva
• Vidyādhyakṣa (Lord of knowledge)
• Praṇava (Oṁ)

FAQs

What is the importance of beginning a stotra with Oṁ (Praṇava) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Praṇava as the sanctifying seed of praise—starting with Oṁ frames the hymn as sacred, focused, and spiritually efficacious.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: it emphasizes devotion and mantra-based worship as a dharmic support for spiritual clarity and right conduct, which the text links to auspicious outcomes for the soul.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Begin daily prayer or study with Oṁ and a short salutation to the deity associated with knowledge and discipline, using praise to cultivate steadiness, learning, and devotion.