Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

सर्वात्मकञ्च वै यावदात्मचैतन्यरूपकम् / शुभमेकाक्षरं विष्णुं सदा ध्यायन्विमुच्यते

Transliteration

sarvātmakañca vai yāvadātmacaitanyarūpakam / śubhamekākṣaraṃ viṣṇuṃ sadā dhyāyanvimucyate

Translation

Hangga’t patuloy na nagmumuni ang tao kay Viṣṇu—ang mapalad, ang iisang pantig, ang sumasaklaw sa lahat, at ang mismong anyo ng kamalayan ng kaluluwa—hangga’t gayon siya’y napapalaya.

Word by Word

• सर्वात्मकम्: all-souled/whose self is all
• सर्वात्मकम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (पाठे कर्मपदे विष्णुम् इति विशेषणत्वात् द्वितीया); समासः: सर्व-आत्मक (तत्पुरुष: 'having all as self')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/उपपद-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• यावत्: as much as/so far as
• यावत्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक-अव्यय (as much as/so long as)

• आत्म: self
• आत्म: Sambandha (Compound member/समास-संबन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासाङ्ग) प्रातिपदिक-रूप

• चैतन्य: consciousness
• चैतन्य: Sambandha (Compound member/समास-संबन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैतन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासाङ्ग) प्रातिपदिक-रूप

• रूपकम्: having the nature/form of self-consciousness
• रूपकम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: आत्म-चैतन्य-रूपक (तत्पुरुष: 'having the form of self-consciousness') विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्)

• एक: one
• एक: Sambandha (Compound member/समास-संबन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासाङ्ग) प्रातिपदिक-रूप

• अक्षरम्: one-syllabled (the sacred syllable)
• अक्षरम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: एक-अक्षर (द्विगु: 'one syllable/imperishable syllable') विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्)

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

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• ध्यायन्: meditating
• ध्यायन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु) + शतृ
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त; पुल्लिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• विमुच्यते: is freed
• विमुच्यते: Kriya (Result/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (passive)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Meditation on Vishnu as sarvatmaka and as the very form of atma-chaitanya, and as the auspicious eka-akshara, grants liberation as long as the contemplation is sustained.

Vedantic Theme: Identity of Self-consciousness with the all-pervading Lord; pranava/akshara as a support for realizing Brahman; continuity of remembrance as the operative cause.

Application: Adopt a concise mantra-support (eka-akshara/pranava-like) with meaning: ‘Vishnu as consciousness in all’; integrate into breath and daily activities for sustained smriti.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: emphasis on nama/akshara-based remembrance and Vishnu as all-pervading consciousness (theme parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of ekākṣara (one-syllabled) Vishnu in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents the one-syllabled, auspicious form of Vishnu as a direct support for liberation: steady contemplation of that single, concentrated divine remembrance frees the practitioner.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing post-death routes, it gives the inner means: realizing the soul’s consciousness as aligned with the all-pervading Vishnu through continuous dhyāna leads to release (vimukti).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain daily, consistent meditation on Vishnu (even in a brief, single-syllable mantra-focused way) to cultivate clarity, detachment, and a liberation-oriented life.