Shloka 22

Paramparā (Transmission), Rudra’s Viṣṇu-Dhyāna, and the Garuḍa Purāṇa’s Origin-Impulse

Devanagari script

अर्चयन्ति च यं देवा यक्षराक्षसपन्नगाः / यस्याग्निरास्यं द्यौर्मूर्धा खं नाभिश्चरणौ क्षितिः

Transliteration

arcayanti ca yaṃ devā yakṣarākṣasapannagāḥ / yasyāgnirāsyaṃ dyaurmūrdhā khaṃ nābhiścaraṇau kṣitiḥ

Translation

พระองค์ผู้ซึ่งเทวะ ยักษ์ รากษส และพญานาคทั้งหลายบูชา—เพลิงคือพระโอษฐ์ ฟ้าคือพระเศียร ห้วงอากาศคือพระนาภี และแผ่นดินคือพระบาท।

Word by Word

• अर्चयन्ति: worship
• अर्चयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म-रूपे (whom)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• यक्षराक्षसपन्नगाः: yakshas, rakshasas, and serpents
• यक्षराक्षसपन्नगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष + राक्षस + पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (yakṣas, rākṣasas and serpents collectively)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (whose)

• अग्निः: fire
• अग्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• आस्यम्: mouth
• आस्यम्: Sambandha (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय-सम्बन्धे (as predicate: is the mouth)

• द्यौः: sky, heaven
• द्यौः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मूर्धा: head, crown
• मूर्धा: Sambandha (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• खम्: space, ether
• खम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• नाभिः: navel
• नाभिः: Sambandha (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• चरणौ: (two) feet
• चरणौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन

• क्षितिः: earth
• क्षितिः: Sambandha (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme worshipped by all classes of beings; the universe as His body (agni-mouth, dyauḥ-head, kha-navel, kṣiti-feet).

Vedantic Theme: Saguna Brahman as viśva-śarīra (cosmic body); unity-in-diversity; īśvara as immanent while remaining transcendent.

Application: Practice viśvarūpa-dhyāna: see sacredness in elements (fire, sky, space, earth); cultivate humility and universal reverence; offer daily acts (agnihotra/lamp, sky-gazing, grounding) as symbolic worship.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana cosmological hymns describing the Lord as jagad-ātmā and viśvarūpa in early Brahma-khaṇḍa passages

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Yakshas
• Rakshasas
• Pannagas (Nagas)
• Agni
• Dyau (Sky/Heaven)
• Kha (Space)
• Kshiti (Earth)

FAQs

What is the importance of Vishnu’s cosmic form (Viśvarūpa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents the Supreme as identical with the cosmos—fire, sky, space, and earth as His limbs—teaching that worship of Vishnu includes reverence for the whole universe as His manifestation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By identifying the world-elements as the Lord’s body, it frames the soul’s journey through realms and elements as occurring within divine order, encouraging devotion and right conduct as alignment with that cosmic reality.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate devotion and ethical living by treating nature and all beings with reverence—seeing fire, sky, space, and earth as sacred expressions of the Divine, and aligning daily actions with dharma.