Shloka 30

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

प्राप्यावधिकृतं कालं यावत्सा धारणा स्मृता / ध्येये सक्तं मनो यस्य ध्येयमेवानुपश्यति

Transliteration

prāpyāvadhikṛtaṃ kālaṃ yāvatsā dhāraṇā smṛtā / dhyeye saktaṃ mano yasya dhyeyamevānupaśyati

Translation

เมื่อสามารถตรึงจิตให้มั่นคงได้ตลอดเวลาที่กำหนดไว้ นั่นเรียกว่า ‘ธารณา’ ผู้ใดมีจิตแนบแน่นอยู่กับอารมณ์ภาวนา ผู้นั้นย่อมเห็นแต่สิ่งนั้นซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า

Word by Word

• प्राप्य: having attained
• प्राप्य: Kriya (Adverbial action/क्रियाविशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु) → प्राप्य (कृदन्त-ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having reached/after attaining’

• अवधिकृतम्: fixed as a limit
• अवधिकृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवधि + कृत (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; qualifies ‘कालम्’: ‘fixed as a limit’

• कालम्: time/period
• कालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative Singular

• यावत्: as long as/until
• यावत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक अव्यय (correlative: ‘as long as/until’)

• सा: that (she/that)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative Singular

• धारणा: concentration (dhāraṇā)
• धारणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative Singular

• स्मृता: is remembered/called
• स्मृता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective with ‘धारणा’

• ध्येये: in/on the object of meditation
• ध्येये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्येय (कृदन्त-तव्यत्/प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative Singular

• सक्तम्: attached/fixed
• सक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सञ्ज्/सज् (धातु) → सक्त (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; qualifies ‘मनः’: ‘attached’

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative Singular

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive Singular

• ध्येयम्: the object to be meditated upon
• ध्येयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्येय (कृदन्त-तव्यत्/प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative Singular

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• अनुपश्यति: sees/observes continuously
• अनुपश्यति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु+पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dharana is steadiness for a prescribed duration; when the mind is attached to the object, perception repeatedly returns to that object alone.

Vedantic Theme: From dharana to dhyana: continuity of vritti toward a single alambana; prepares for samadhi and non-dual assimilation.

Application: Use timed sittings; choose one object (e.g., mantra, form, or tattva); train the mind to return to it until repetition becomes seamless continuity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.28 (twelve dharanas leading to samadhi); Garuda Purana 1.235.31 (exclusive knowing as dhyana)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of dhāraṇā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse defines dhāraṇā as holding the mind steadily for a prescribed duration, establishing the foundation for deeper meditation where distractions reduce and spiritual insight becomes possible.

How does this verse explain the meditative experience (dhyeya-anubhava)?

It says that when the mind is truly absorbed, the meditator repeatedly perceives only the chosen object (dhyeya), indicating one-pointedness and continuity of attention.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose one focus (mantra, deity-form, breath, or a sacred idea), set a timed practice, and train the mind to return to that single object until it naturally “sees only that” without wandering.