Shloka 7

Nāma-mahātmya: Liberation through Salutation, Chanting, and the Mantra “Namo Nārāyaṇāya”

Devanagari script

दुर्गसंसारकान्ताराकूपारे ऽपि प्रधावताम् / एकः कृष्णे नमस्कारो मुक्त्या तांस्तारयिष्यति

Transliteration

durgasaṃsārakāntārākūpāre 'pi pradhāvatām / ekaḥ kṛṣṇe namaskāro muktyā tāṃstārayiṣyati

Translation

دشوار گزار دنیاوی بیابان اور کنویں جیسے گہرے سنسار کے پار بھاگتے لوگوں کو بھی، شری کرشن کو کیا گیا ایک ہی نمسکار نجات دے کر پار اتار دے گا۔

Word by Word

• दुर्गसंसारकान्ताराकूपारे: in the hard-to-cross wilderness/ocean of worldly existence
• दुर्गसंसारकान्ताराकूपारे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + कान्तार (प्रातिपदिक) + कूपार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (दुर्गः संसारः एव कान्तारः/कूपारः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात ‘even’

• प्रधावताम्: of those rushing about
• प्रधावताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + धाव् (धातु) → प्रधावत् (वर्तमान-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of those who are running’

• एकः: one (single)
• एकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कृष्णे: in/unto Krishna
• कृष्णे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• नमस्कारः: salutation
• नमस्कारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुक्त्या: by liberation (as the means/result)
• मुक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तारयिष्यति: will ferry across, will save
• तारयिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु) (causative) → तारय्
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A single bow to Kṛṣṇa can ferry even frantic, lost beings across the difficult ocean/wilderness of saṃsāra into liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Tāraka-brahman; grace as the crossing; saṃsāra as avidyā-kṛta wandering; bhakti as immediate refuge.

Application: When overwhelmed, return to one simple act: namaskāra/smaraṇa; use it as a reset that reorients life toward liberation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: metaphorical landscape

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: imagery of crossing saṃsāra by Hari-bhakti (general motif)

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Vishnu
• Garuda (implied listener)

FAQs

What is the importance of Krishna-namaskara in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that even a single sincere salutation to Krishna has saving power—able to deliver a person from the perilous wilderness-like cycle of saṃsāra and lead toward liberation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It frames worldly existence as a dangerous terrain where beings run restlessly; the turning-point is devotion (namaskāra to Krishna), which becomes the means of ‘crossing over’—a metaphor for release from repeated birth and death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily reverence—offer a sincere bow or prayer to Krishna with ethical living; the verse emphasizes that even small, heartfelt devotion can reorient life toward inner freedom.