Shloka 4

Maṅgalācaraṇa, the Sages’ Inquiry, and Hari as Supreme with an Avatāra-Outline

Devanagari script

तीर्थयात्राप्रसङ्गेन उपविष्टं शुभासने / ध्यायन्तं विष्णुमनघं तमभ्यर्च्यास्तुवन्कविम्

Transliteration

tīrthayātrāprasaṅgena upaviṣṭaṃ śubhāsane / dhyāyantaṃ viṣṇumanaghaṃ tamabhyarcyāstuvankavim

Translation

ในวาระแห่งการจาริกสู่ทีรถะ เขานั่งบนอาสนะอันเป็นมงคล กำลังเพ่งฌานถึงพระวิษณุผู้ปราศจากมลทิน ครั้นบูชาอาจารย์ฤๅษีกวีผู้นั้นแล้ว จึงกล่าวสรรเสริญ

Word by Word

• tīrthayātrāprasaṅgena: on the occasion of a pilgrimage
• tīrthayātrāprasaṅgena: Hetu/Nimitta (Cause/निमित्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक) + yātrā (प्रातिपदिक) + prasaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तीर्थयात्रायाः प्रसङ्गेन = on the occasion of pilgrimage)

• upaviṣṭam: seated
• upaviṣṭam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-√viś (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘उपविष्ट’; विशेषण (तम्/सूतम्)

• śubhāsane: on an auspicious seat
• śubhāsane: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (शुभम् आसनम् = auspicious seat)

• dhyāyantam: meditating
• dhyāyantam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dhyai (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle) ‘ध्यायन्त’; विशेषण

• viṣṇum: Vishnu
• viṣṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• anagham: sinless/blemishless
• anagham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anagha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (विष्णुम्)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• abhyarcya: having worshipped
• abhyarcya: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhi-√arc (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) ‘अभ्यर्च्य’ = having worshipped

• astuvan: they praised
• astuvan: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; रूपम्: अस्तुवन् (they praised)

• kavim: the sage/poet
• kavim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kavi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (frame-setting before the Viṣṇu–Garuḍa dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-yātrā finds completion in dhyāna and satkāra: worship of the realized/learned devotee and meditation on faultless Viṣṇu.

Vedantic Theme: Antar-yātrā (inner purification) over mere external travel; bhakti expressed as dhyāna + arcana + stuti.

Application: When visiting sacred places, prioritize meditation, ethical restraint, and honoring teachers; integrate worship with contemplation rather than tourism alone.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Geographic Context

Type: tīrtha/forest-āśrama

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana recurring praise of tīrtha, sat-saṅga, and Viṣṇu-smaraṇa as purifiers

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Tīrtha (sacred pilgrimage sites)

FAQs

What is the importance of tīrtha-yātrā (pilgrimage) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames pilgrimage as a sacred occasion that naturally supports worship, meditation, and receptivity to spiritual instruction.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it establishes devotion and meditation on Viṣṇu as the spiritual foundation that later teachings (including afterlife and rites) rest upon.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use pilgrimages or holy visits as disciplined time for dhyāna and reverent study—approaching teachers/texts with worshipful attention rather than tourism.