Shloka 31

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

नान्यं पदार्थं जानाति ध्यानमेतत्प्रकीर्तितम् / ध्येये मनो निश्चलतां याति ध्येयं विचिन्तयन्

Transliteration

nānyaṃ padārthaṃ jānāti dhyānametatprakīrtitam / dhyeye mano niścalatāṃ yāti dhyeyaṃ vicintayan

Translation

کسی اور شے کا ادراک نہ رہے—اسی کو ‘دھیان’ کہا گیا ہے۔ دھَیے پر غور کرتے کرتے ذہن اسی میں جم کر بےحرکتی اور ثبات پا لیتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अन्यम्: other
• अन्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative Singular; qualifies ‘पदार्थम्’

• पदार्थम्: object/thing
• पदार्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative Singular

• जानाति: knows
• जानाति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘this’ (qualifies ‘ध्यानम्’)

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is proclaimed/declared
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+कीर्त् (धातु) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate with ‘ध्यानम्’

• ध्येये: in the object of meditation
• ध्येये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्येय (कृदन्त-तव्यत्/प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative Singular

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative Singular

• निश्चलताम्: steadiness/immobility
• निश्चलताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चलता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative Singular

• याति: goes/attains
• याति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ध्येयम्: the object of meditation
• ध्येयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्येय (कृदन्त-तव्यत्/प्रातिपदिकवत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative Singular

• विचिन्तयन्: contemplating
• विचिन्तयन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+चिन्त् (धातु) → विचिन्तयन् (कृदन्त-शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘while contemplating’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Meditation is the state where no other object is known; the mind becomes unmoving by sustained contemplation of the chosen object.

Vedantic Theme: Nididhyasana as single-stream cognition (ekapratyaya-santati) reducing dualistic scatter; proximate to samadhi.

Application: Reduce multitasking and sensory inputs; keep one chosen contemplation; when other objects arise, neither follow nor fight—return to dhyeya until steadiness prevails.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.30 (dharana as time-bound holding); Garuda Purana 1.235.32 (tanmaya-bhava: identity with the object)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse defines dhyāna as exclusive, one-object awareness; it is important because steadiness of mind arises when attention is not scattered among multiple objects.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing a stable, one-pointed mind, the verse points to inner discipline that supports dharma and spiritual clarity—foundational qualities for the soul’s higher progress described elsewhere in the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose a single dhyeya (such as a divine form, mantra, or breath) and repeatedly return the mind to it; over time, the mind becomes niścalā (steady), reducing distraction and anxiety.