Shloka 52

Vaitaraṇī: Torments of the Sinful, Sins Enumerated, and the Vaitaraṇī Go-dāna Rite

Devanagari script

अपवित्रः पवित्रो वा सर्वावस्थां गतोपि वा / यः स्मरेत्पुण्डरीकाक्षं स बाह्याभ्यन्तरं शुचिः

Transliteration

apavitraḥ pavitro vā sarvāvasthāṃ gatopi vā / yaḥ smaretpuṇḍarīkākṣaṃ sa bāhyābhyantaraṃ śuciḥ

Translation

ناپاک ہو یا پاک، یا کسی بھی حالت میں ہو—جو پُنڈریکاکش (کمَل نین پروردگار) کو یاد کرے وہ باہر اور اندر دونوں طرح سے پاک ہو جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• अपवित्रः: impure
• अपवित्रः: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate complement
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; predicate adjective

• पवित्रः: pure
• पवित्रः: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate complement
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• सर्व-अवस्थाम्: every condition/state
• सर्व-अवस्थाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + अवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: सर्वा अवस्था

• गतः: having entered; being in
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate complement
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having gone/being in’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (particle ‘even/also’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात

• यः: who (whoever)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; relative pronoun

• स्मरेत्: should remember
• स्मरेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: Puṇḍarīkākṣa (lotus-eyed Lord)
• पुण्डरीकाक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीक + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-नाम; object of स्मरेत्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; correlative pronoun

• बाह्य-अभ्यन्तरम्: externally and internally
• बाह्य-अभ्यन्तरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बाह्य + अभ्यन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative) used adverbially; अव्ययवत्—‘externally and internally’

• शुचिः: pure; clean
• शुचिः: Predicate complement (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective of सः

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Smaraṇa of Puṇḍarīkākṣa purifies regardless of external purity or life-condition; divine remembrance transcends ritual limitations.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-smaraṇa as citta-śuddhi leading toward steadiness (sattva) and fitness for knowledge; grace (anugraha) complements effort.

Application: In any circumstance—stress, grief, moral lapse—return to Vishnu-smaraṇa; pair remembrance with corrective action and renewed discipline.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.47 (devotional/purificatory statements around śravaṇa-smaraṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Puṇḍarīkākṣa

FAQs

What is the importance of remembrance (smaraṇa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that remembering Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Viṣṇu) purifies a person in every circumstance, emphasizing inner transformation beyond merely external ritual conditions.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey and after-death context in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda’s after-death framework, purity of mind and devotion support auspicious states; the verse highlights Viṣṇu-smaraṇa as a powerful purifier even when one is constrained by difficult conditions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain remembrance/recitation of Viṣṇu’s name (especially in stressful or “impure” situations) as a daily discipline to cultivate inner cleanliness and ethical steadiness.