Shloka 18

Kula-amṛta: Śiva’s Teaching to Nārada on Viṣṇu-Dhyāna and Mokṣa

Devanagari script

संसारबन्धनात्को ऽपि मुक्तिमिच्छन्समाहितः / अनन्तमव्ययं देवं विष्णं विश्वप्रतिष्ठितम् / विश्वेश्वरमजं विष्णुं संदा ध्यायन्विमुच्यते

Transliteration

saṃsārabandhanātko 'pi muktimicchansamāhitaḥ / anantamavyayaṃ devaṃ viṣṇaṃ viśvapratiṣṭhitam / viśveśvaramajaṃ viṣṇuṃ saṃdā dhyāyanvimucyate

Translation

ผู้ใดปรารถนาพ้นจากพันธนาการแห่งสังสารวัฏ ด้วยจิตตั้งมั่น เพ่งภาวนาพระวิษณุผู้อนันต์ไม่เสื่อมสลาย ผู้เป็นที่ตั้งแห่งจักรวาล เป็นเจ้าแห่งโลกทั้งปวง และผู้ไม่บังเกิดอยู่เสมอ ผู้นั้นย่อมหลุดพ้น

Word by Word

• संसारबन्धनात्: from the bondage of saṃsāra
• संसारबन्धनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• कः: who (someone)
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रश्न/अनिश्चितार्थे

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इच्छन्: desiring
• इच्छन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समाहितः: composed, concentrated
• समाहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + धा (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कः)

• अनन्तम्: endless, infinite
• अनन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देवम्/विष्णुम्)

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• विश्वप्रतिष्ठितम्: established in the universe
• विश्वप्रतिष्ठितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिष्ठित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—सप्तमी/अधिकरण-तत्पुरुष (विश्वे प्रतिष्ठितम्)

• विश्वेश्वरम्: Lord of the universe
• विश्वेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य ईश्वरः)

• अजम्: unborn
• अजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्)

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

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय; पाठे 'संदा' इति दृश्यते, तद् 'सदा' इत्यर्थे

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विमुच्यते: is liberated
• विमुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: With collected mind, meditate constantly on Viṣṇu—Ananta, Avyaya, Aja, Viśveśvara, the support of the universe—to be freed from saṃsāra.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman as the immutable substratum (adhiṣṭhāna) of the world; dhyāna on the eternal (nitya) dissolves identification with the transient (anitya).

Application: Cultivate samādhāna (collectedness) via breath regulation and sense-restraint, then contemplate these attributes as a structured dhyāna-ladder: Ananta → Avyaya → Viśva-pratiṣṭhā → Viśveśvara → Aja.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.232.15-17 (same refrain and saṃsāra-bandhana theme)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of meditating on Vishnu in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that steady, continual meditation on Vishnu—described as infinite, imperishable, and the foundation of the universe—directly leads to release from saṃsāra.

How does this verse explain the path of liberation (moksha)?

Moksha is presented as freedom from worldly bondage attained through a composed mind (samāhita) and constant contemplation (sadā dhyāna) of the unborn, universal Lord Vishnu.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily, consistent remembrance/meditation on Vishnu with mental steadiness; align choices with liberation-oriented values rather than attachment-driven habits.