Shloka 3

Vishnu-sahasranāma-style Japa: Vishnu as Cosmic Cause and Inner Self

Antaryāmin

Devanagari script

यत्प वित्रं परं जप्यं कथयामि वृषध्वज ! / शृणुष्वावहितो भूत्वा सर्वपापविनाशनम्

Transliteration

yatpa vitraṃ paraṃ japyaṃ kathayāmi vṛṣadhvaja ! / śṛṇuṣvāvahito bhūtvā sarvapāpavināśanam

Translation

اے وِرشَدھوج! میں تمہیں وہ نہایت پاکیزہ، جپنے کے لائق منتر سناتا ہوں۔ پوری توجہ سے سنو؛ یہ تمام گناہوں کا ناس کرنے والا ہے۔

Word by Word

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• पवित्रम्: purifier; sacred (thing)
• पवित्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of पवित्रम्)

• जप्यम्: to be recited (as japa)
• जप्यम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जप् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्मणि-भावे कृत्य (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘to be recited’

• कथयामि: I tell; I declare
• कथयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; कथ् + णिच्)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वृषध्वज: O Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषध्वज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक; वृष + ध्वज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘whose banner is the bull’)

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अवहितः: attentive
• अवहितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवहित (प्रातिपदिक; अव + धा/हित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied ‘त्वम्’)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• सर्वपापविनाशनम्: destroyer of all sins
• सर्वपापविनाशनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-पाप-विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + पाप + विनाशन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (‘destroyer of all sins’)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (addressing Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mantra-japa and attentive śravaṇa as supreme purification that destroys pāpa.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma/Mantra as upāya; antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi as prerequisite for higher realization.

Application: Adopt daily japa of the taught Viṣṇu-nāma/mantra with focused attention; pair with mindful listening/recitation for ethical self-correction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khanda) nāma-stotra/mantra sections around 1.15; Garuda Purana teachings on pāpa-kṣaya through Viṣṇu-smaraṇa in bhakti-oriented passages

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of japa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames japa as a “supremely purifying” practice and emphasizes attentive listening/recitation as a means to destroy sin and cleanse the practitioner.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By highlighting sin-destruction through sacred recitation, it points to purification as a prerequisite for a smoother post-death journey and reduced karmic burden.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt a regular mantra-japa routine with focused attention (avahita), using it as a discipline for ethical living, mental clarity, and karmic self-correction.