Shloka 4

Dīkṣā Procedure: Homa Measures, Elemental Reconstitution, and Naming by Omen

Devanagari script

उपवेश्य बहिः शिष्यान्धारणं तेषु कारयेत् / वायव्या कलया रुद्र शोष्यमाणान्विचिन्तयेत्

Transliteration

upaveśya bahiḥ śiṣyāndhāraṇaṃ teṣu kārayet / vāyavyā kalayā rudra śoṣyamāṇānvicintayet

Translation

Cho các đệ tử ngồi ở bên ngoài, rồi khiến họ thực hành sự nhiếp tâm vào đối tượng ấy. Hãy quán tưởng họ như đang bị Rudra, bằng phần năng lực thuộc gió (vāyavī), làm cho khô rút.

Word by Word

• उपवेश्य: having seated
• उपवेश्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप-विश् (धातु) → उपवेश्य (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रायः; क्त्वान्त/ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund) — ‘उपवेशयित्वा’ (having seated)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Adverbial (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — स्थानवाचक (outside)

• शिष्यान्: disciples
• शिष्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• धारणम्: holding/retention (act of holding)
• धारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारण (प्रातिपदिक; √धृ + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्रियानाम (verbal noun)

• तेषु: in/among them
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine) / सर्वलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कारयेत्: should cause (them) to do / should make (them) perform
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कारय (णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः (causative: ‘should cause to do’)

• वायव्या: by the airy (wind-related)
• वायव्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); करणत्वेन—‘वायव्या (कलया)’

• कलया: by a portion/ray/phase
• कलया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• रुद्र: O Rudra
• रुद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शोष्यमाणान्: (them) being dried up
• शोष्यमाणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुष् (धातु) → शोष्यमाण (कृदन्त; कर्मणि-लट्-प्रत्ययवत् भविष्यत्/विधेय-भाव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मणि-प्रयोगे वर्तमानकाले/प्रक्रियायाम्—‘being dried up’

• विचिन्तयेत्: should contemplate/visualize
• विचिन्तयेत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु) + वि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, yogic-ritual context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Elemental contemplation as a means to attenuate bodily identification—‘drying up’ impurities through Rudra’s vāyavī śakti.

Vedantic Theme: Disidentification from the gross body via upāsanā on elements; purification (citta-śuddhi) as a precondition for Self-knowledge.

Application: Use structured meditation/visualization to reduce sensory pull and compulsions; cultivate prāṇa-awareness and restraint as preparatory practice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: outer precinct of a ritual enclosure (bahis)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dīkṣā/nyāsa and elemental contemplations in adjacent verses (agni/āpas/ākāśa sequences)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Vayu

FAQs

What is the importance of dhāraṇā (concentration) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats dhāraṇā as a guided practice: the teacher seats disciples and directs their focused visualization, indicating concentration as a disciplined, teachable method rather than a vague meditation.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it points to mastery over subtle processes through visualization (vāyu/air element and Rudra’s transforming power), a theme used in Purāṇic yoga to refine the subtle body and detach from gross identification.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach meditation systematically: sit in a quiet place, follow a structured concentration object, and use purposeful visualization to reduce restlessness and attachment—preferably under competent guidance.