Shloka 14

Mṛtyuñjaya/Amṛteśvara Upāsanā: Three-Syllable Mantra, Kavaca, Japa-Phala, and Pūjā-Aṅgas

Devanagari script

आत्मानं देवरूपं च कराङ्गन्यासकं चरेत् / आत्मानं पूजयेत्पश्चाज्यो तीरूपं हृदब्जतः

Transliteration

ātmānaṃ devarūpaṃ ca karāṅganyāsakaṃ caret / ātmānaṃ pūjayetpaścājyo tīrūpaṃ hṛdabjataḥ

Translation

Hãy quán tưởng chính mình mang hình tướng của Thần linh và thực hành nyāsa nơi bàn tay và các chi phần. Rồi sau đó, hãy thờ phụng Tự Ngã, làm hiển lộ hình thái rực sáng từ hoa sen của trái tim.

Word by Word

• आत्मानम्: the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवरूपम्: having the form of a deity
• देवरूपम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (देवस्य रूपम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• कराङ्गन्यासकम्: hand-and-limb nyāsa (ritual placement)
• कराङ्गन्यासकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर + अङ्ग + न्यासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (करयोः अङ्गेषु न्यासः/न्यासकः)

• चरेत्: should perform/practice
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आत्मानम्: the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम-वाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘afterwards’)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• तीरूपम्: in that form (as such)
• तीरूपम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ति + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तेन/तस्य रूपम्)

• हृदब्जतः: from the lotus of the heart
• हृदब्जतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत्/हृद् + अब्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (हृदः अब्जम् = heart-lotus)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Through nyāsa and deva-bhāvanā, the practitioner internalizes the deity and worships the Self as the luminous divine presence arising from the heart-lotus.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin and ātman–brahman proximity: devotion matures toward inward realization; upāsanā as a bridge to self-knowledge.

Application: During japa/pūjā, add a brief visualization: ‘I am in the form of the deity’ (deva-rūpa), perform nyāsa with attention, then meditate on a light in the heart as the indwelling Lord.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: inner-sacred-space (hṛd-abja) and ritual-seat

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.18.13 (prāṇāyāma and pīṭha-śuddhi as preparation); Garuda Purana 1.18.10-12 (upacāras and purification steps leading to inner worship)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Deva

FAQs

What is the importance of nyāsa (karāṅga-nyāsa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents nyāsa as a preparatory discipline: by placing mantras on the hands and limbs, the practitioner sacralizes the body as a fit vessel for deity-visualization and worship.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or inner realization?

It points inward: after ritual alignment, the practitioner contemplates and worships the luminous inner form (jyoti) arising from the heart-lotus, emphasizing inner divinity alongside external rite.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before prayer or japa, adopt a brief body-mind sanctification (nyāsa or mindful touch/placement) and then meditate on calm inner light at the heart to steady attention and devotion.