Shloka 1

Dhyāna of Hari as the Nirguṇa Witness (Ātman), and the Attainment of Viṣṇu’s Realm

Devanagari script

ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / ध्यायिभिः प्रोच्यते ध्येयो ध्यानेन हरिरीश्वरः

Transliteration

'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / dhyāyibhiḥ procyate dhyeyo dhyānena harirīśvaraḥ

Translation

ہری نے فرمایا—دھیان کرنے والوں کے ذریعے دھْیَیَ (جس کا دھیان کیا جائے) بیان ہوتا ہے؛ اور دھیان ہی سے ایشور ہری کا ساکشاتکار ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Sambandha (Heading/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ध्यायिभिः: by meditators
• ध्यायिभिः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्तृ-करण), बहुवचन

• प्रोच्यते: is proclaimed
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• ध्येयः: worthy to be meditated upon
• ध्येयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्येय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ध्यै धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘to be meditated upon’

• ध्यानेन: by meditation
• ध्यानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ईश्वरः: the Lord
• ईश्वरः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हरिः-ईश्वरः (समानााधिकरण)

Speaker

Hari (Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari is the dhyeya; dhyāna is the means by which the Lord is realized.

Vedantic Theme: Upāsanā leading to īśvara-sākṣātkāra; mind purified by meditation becomes fit for knowledge.

Application: Establish a daily meditation practice with Hari as the chosen focus (form, name, or qualities), cultivating steadiness and remembrance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda) dhyāna/stotra sections (general)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Ishvara

FAQs

What is the importance of meditation (dhyāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames meditation as the means by which Hari, the supreme Lord, is realized—making dhyāna a direct spiritual practice for liberation-oriented understanding.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing post-death stages here, the verse points to the inner path: steady meditation on the divine (Hari) refines consciousness and supports liberation from repeated birth and death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt a daily meditation practice with Hari/Vishnu as the focal dhyeya—repetition of a Vishnu-mantra or mindful contemplation—to cultivate steadiness, ethical clarity, and devotion.