Shloka 9

Hymns to Nārāyaṇa: Humility, Bhakti, Yoga, and the Guṇas

Devanagari script

चित्तस्य निग्रहेणैव विष्णोर्यान्ति परं पदम् / अतो मां पाहि दयया सदा तारासमं प्रभो / तदनन्तरजा स्तोतुं प्रावही तं प्रचक्रमे

Transliteration

cittasya nigraheṇaiva viṣṇoryānti paraṃ padam / ato māṃ pāhi dayayā sadā tārāsamaṃ prabho / tadanantarajā stotuṃ prāvahī taṃ pracakrame

Translation

ด้วยการสำรวมจิตเพียงอย่างเดียว เหล่าภักตะแห่งพระวิษณุย่อมถึงปรมบท ดังนั้น ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้า ผู้รุ่งเรืองดุจดวงดาว โปรดคุ้มครองข้าพเจ้าด้วยพระกรุณาเสมอ แล้วนางก็เริ่มสรรเสริญพระองค์ทันทีและเริ่มบทสวดนั้น

Word by Word

• चित्तस्य: of the mind
• चित्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• निग्रहेण: by restraint
• निग्रहेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

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

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• यान्ति: they go/attain
• यान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; Parasmaipada

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular (qualifying पदम्)

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/consequently)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• पाहि: protect
• पाहि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• दयया: with compassion
• दयया: Karana (करण/Instrument; manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तारासमम्: equal to a star (star-like)
• तारासमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तारा + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान-तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (qualifying माम्)

• प्रभो: O Lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• तद्: then/thereupon
• तद्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Deictic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; used adverbially = 'then/thereupon'

• अनन्तरजाः: those born afterwards (descendants)
• अनन्तरजाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्तर + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अनन्तरात् जाताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• स्तोतुम्: to praise
• स्तोतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव; 'to praise'

• प्रावही: Prāvahī
• प्रावही: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रावही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Proper noun (name)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• प्रचक्रमे: began/undertook
• प्रचक्रमे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Narrator (describing a devotee’s prayer and the beginning of a hymn to Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Citta-nigraha (restraint of mind) as sufficient sādhanā for attaining Viṣṇu’s supreme abode, supported by divine compassion and stotra-bhakti.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi through mind-control leading to God-realization; grace (dayā) complements effort.

Application: Practice daily mind-restraint (meditation, sense-discipline); when overwhelmed, explicitly ask for divine compassion; reinforce devotion through hymns and remembrance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: transcendent abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: stotra and nāma-smaraṇa as protective and liberating; Garuda Purana: mind-control and devotion as antidotes to fear in post-death passages

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of mind control (citta-nigraha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that restraining the mind itself is a direct means by which devotees of Viṣṇu attain the supreme state, highlighting inner discipline as a primary spiritual practice.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation?

Rather than focusing on external rites here, the verse emphasizes inner mastery—control of thought and attention—joined with devotion to Viṣṇu as the route to the highest abode.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice daily mental restraint—reducing impulsive desire and distraction—while cultivating steady devotion/prayer, treating compassion and protection as sought through sincere inner discipline.