Shloka 2

Viṣṇu-dhyāna: Saguṇa Iconography, Nirguṇa Framework, and the Vāsudeva Insight

Devanagari script

हरिरुवाच / प्रवक्ष्यामि हरेर्ध्यानं मायातन्त्रविमर्दकम् / मूर्तामूर्तादिभेदेन तद्ध्यानं द्विविधं हर

Transliteration

hariruvāca / pravakṣyāmi harerdhyānaṃ māyātantravimardakam / mūrtāmūrtādibhedena taddhyānaṃ dvividhaṃ hara

Translation

Hari phán: Ta sẽ giảng về phép quán niệm Hari, điều nghiền nát cơ cấu của ảo lực (māyā). Này Hara, phép quán ấy có hai loại, phân biệt theo hữu tướng (có thuộc tính) và vô tướng (không thuộc tính), v.v.

Word by Word

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ध्यानम्: meditation
• ध्यानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मायातन्त्रविमर्दकम्: that which crushes/dispels the machinery of illusion
• मायातन्त्रविमर्दकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + तन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विमर्दक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (ध्यानम्)

• मूर्त: manifest (formed)
• मूर्त: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (मूर्त-अमूर्त-आदि)

• अमूर्त: unmanifest (formless)
• अमूर्त: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (मूर्त-अमूर्त-आदि)

• आदि: and so on
• आदि: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावार्थ)
• Form: अव्यय; समासान्त-प्रयोग ("etc.")

• भेदेन: by distinction
• भेदेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• द्विविधम्: twofold
• द्विविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (ध्यानम्)

• हर: O Hari
• हर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Hari (Lord Vishnu)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari-dhyāna as māyā-tantra-vimardaka; twofold meditation as mūrta (saguṇa) and amūrta (nirguṇa).

Vedantic Theme: Saguna–nirguna upāsanā leading toward māyā-kṣaya and liberation; īśvara as both with and beyond attributes.

Application: Adopt a structured practice: begin with form-based visualization (mūrta) to steady the mind, then contemplate the attributeless (amūrta) as capacity matures; use daily japa and dhyāna to reduce identification with māyā.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.92.3-6 (mūrta-dhyāna lakṣaṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Hara (Shiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of Hari-dhyāna in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Hari-dhyāna as a direct antidote to māyā—meditation is presented as a method that dismantles delusion and leads the mind toward truth.

How does this verse classify meditation on Vishnu?

It states that Hari-meditation is twofold: mūrta (with form/attributes) and amūrta (formless/attributeless), indicating complementary approaches for different temperaments and stages.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose a steady daily practice—either form-based Vishnu contemplation (name, form, qualities) or formless awareness of the divine—and use it to reduce anxiety, attachment, and भ्रम (delusion) in decision-making.