Shloka 16

Devanagari script

पाद्यादीन्मूलमन्त्रेण दत्त्वा सूर्याय शङ्कर / नैवेद्यान्ते धेनुमुद्रां दर्शयेत्साधकोत्तमः

Transliteration

pādyādīnmūlamantreṇa dattvā sūryāya śaṅkara / naivedyānte dhenumudrāṃ darśayetsādhakottamaḥ

Translation

O Śaṅkara, matapos ihandog kay Sūrya ang mga paglilingkod sa ritwal na nagsisimula sa tubig na panghugas ng paa (pādya) sa pamamagitan ng mūla-mantra, sa pagtatapos ng naivedya ay dapat ipakita ng pinakamainam na sādhaka ang dhenu-mudrā.

Word by Word

• पाद्यादीन्: pādya etc. (offerings like water for feet, etc.)
• पाद्यादीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद्य-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; पाद्य + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (पाद्यं आदिः येषाम्)

• मूलमन्त्रेण: with the root-mantra
• मूलमन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल-मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; मूल + मन्त्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (मूलः मन्त्रः)

• दत्त्वा: having offered/given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having given’

• सूर्याय: to Sūrya (Sun)
• सूर्याय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• शङ्कर: O Śaṅkara
• शङ्कर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन

• नैवेद्य-अन्ते: at the end of the naivedya (food offering)
• नैवेद्य-अन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; नैवेद्य + अन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नैवेद्यस्य अन्ते)

• धेनुमुद्राम्: the dhenu-mudrā (cow gesture)
• धेनुमुद्राम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु-मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक; धेनु + मुद्रा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (धेनोः मुद्रा)

• दर्शयेत्: should show
• दर्शयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साधक-उत्तमः: the best practitioner
• साधक-उत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधक-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; साधक + उत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय (उत्तमः साधकः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction mode; dialogue context traditionally Vishnu → Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual efficacy depends on complete upacāra sequence and proper concluding gestures; mudrā functions as a symbolic ‘seal’ (saṃrakṣaṇa/saṃpuṭīkaraṇa).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as disciplined action offered to the divine; inner intention expressed through outer form.

Application: In Sūrya pūjā, offer pādya, arghya, etc. with the mūla-mantra; after naivedya, show dhenu-mudrā as a concluding protective/auspicious sign.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: altar/puja setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.39.15 (mantra context); Garuda Purana 1.39.17 (japa and offering of merit)

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Śaṅkara

FAQs

What is the importance of dhenu-mudrā in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse prescribes dhenu-mudrā specifically at the completion of naivedya, marking a proper, sealed conclusion to the offering sequence in a Sūrya rite.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the soul’s journey here; instead, it focuses on correct ritual protocol (ācāra) for deity worship, which is treated as dharmic conduct supporting spiritual merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing Sūrya-pūjā, keep the worship orderly: offer the upacāras (like pādya) with the main mantra, and conclude naivedya with the prescribed mudrā as part of disciplined practice.