Shloka 39

Viṣṇv-ekapūjya-nirṇaya; Gaṅgā-Viṣṇupadī-māhātmya; Kali-yuga doṣa; Puṣkara-dharma of Viṣṇu-smaraṇa

Devanagari script

तुलसीवन्दनं कुर्याच्छ्रीविष्णुं संस्मरेत्खग / विण्मूत्रोत्सर्गकाले च ह्यपानात्मककेशवम्

Transliteration

tulasīvandanaṃ kuryācchrīviṣṇuṃ saṃsmaretkhaga / viṇmūtrotsargakāle ca hyapānātmakakeśavam

Translation

ఓ ఖగా! తులసీకి వందనం చేసి శ్రీ విష్ణువును స్మరించుము. అలాగే విణ్మూత్ర విసర్జన సమయంలో అపానస్వరూపుడైన కేశవుని స్మరించుము.

Word by Word

• तुलसीवन्दनम्: worship/salutation of Tulasī
• तुलसीवन्दनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी + वन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तुलस्याः वन्दनम्)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्रीविष्णुम्: Śrī Viṣṇu
• श्रीविष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (श्रीमान् विष्णुः)

• संस्मरेत्: should remember
• संस्मरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• खग: O bird (Garuda)
• खग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• विण्मूत्रोत्सर्गकाले: at the time of excreting feces and urine
• विण्मूत्रोत्सर्गकाले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विट् + मूत्र + उत्सर्ग + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (विण्मूत्रयोः उत्सर्गस्य कालः)

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

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

• अपानात्मककेशवम्: Keśava as the Apāna-soul (associated with apāna)
• अपानात्मककेशवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपान + आत्मन् + केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (अपानः आत्मा यस्य सः केशवः/अपानात्मा केशवः)

Speaker

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

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Vata

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Remembrance of Viṣṇu is to be maintained across pure and impure contexts; Keśava is contemplated as presiding over apāna, linking devotion with prāṇa-dynamics.

Vedantic Theme: Sarva-kāla-smaraṇa (remembrance at all times) and sacralization of embodied life; the body as a field where divine order (prāṇa) operates.

Application: Offer Tulasī reverence daily; maintain mindful, non-distracted elimination; silently remember Keśava to cultivate humility and continuity of practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 3.29.38–40 (sequence of remembrance tied to daily acts); Garuda Purana bhakti passages on Tulasī as dear to Viṣṇu (general parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Tulasī
• Śrī Viṣṇu
• Garuda (Khaga)
• Keśava
• Apāna

FAQs

What is the importance of Tulasī-vandana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats reverence to Tulasī as a practical daily devotion that supports constant remembrance of Śrī Viṣṇu, turning ordinary routine into dharmic practice.

Why does the verse mention remembering Keśava during evacuation (viṇ-mūtra-utsarga)?

It links bodily elimination to apāna (the downward vital current) and teaches that even impure-seeming moments can be sanctified by remembering Viṣṇu as Keśava presiding over that function.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain mindful devotion: offer a simple salutation to Tulasī (or a devotional remembrance) and practice quiet Viṣṇu-smaraṇa even during routine acts, cultivating steadiness, humility, and purity of intent.