Shloka 1
Hasta-Nyāsa and Karāsphālana; Directional and Protective Nyāsa; Worship of the Twelve Maṇḍalas
नाम पञ्चविंशो ऽध्यायः श्रीगरूडमहापुराणम्- २६ सूत उवाच / अनन्तरं करन्यासः / विद्याकरी शुद्धिः कार्या / पद्ममुद्रां बद्ध्वा मन्त्रन्यासं कुर्यात् / कैं कनिष्ठायै नमः / नैं अनामिकायै नमः / मैं मध्यमायै नमः / तैं तर्जन्यै नमः / अं अङ्गुष्ठायै नमः / लां करतलायै नमः / वां करपृष्ठायै नमः
nāma pañcaviṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīgarūḍamahāpurāṇam- 26 sūta uvāca / anantaraṃ karanyāsaḥ / vidyākarī śuddhiḥ kāryā / padmamudrāṃ baddhvā mantranyāsaṃ kuryāt / kaiṃ kaniṣṭhāyai namaḥ / naiṃ anāmikāyai namaḥ / maiṃ madhyamāyai namaḥ / taiṃ tarjanyai namaḥ / aṃ aṅguṣṭhāyai namaḥ / lāṃ karatalāyai namaḥ / vāṃ karapṛṣṭhāyai namaḥ
苏多（Sūta）说：“随后是手部安置（kara-nyāsa）。应行净化之仪，以加持圣明（vidyā）。结莲华印（Padma-mudrā）后，当作真言安置：‘kaiṃ’——敬礼小指；‘naiṃ’——敬礼无名指；‘maiṃ’——敬礼中指；‘taiṃ’——敬礼食指；‘aṃ’——敬礼拇指；‘lāṃ’——敬礼掌心；‘vāṃ’——敬礼手背。”
Sūta
Concept: Ritual internalization: sanctifying the practitioner through nyāsa and mudrā so the vidyā becomes effective (śuddhi/adhikāra).
Vedantic Theme: Embodied practice as preparation for higher contemplation; transforming the instrument (body-mind) into a fit locus for mantra.
Application: Before japa/pujā, perform brief hand-nyāsa with attention and cleanliness; use it as a mindfulness protocol to reduce distraction.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: ritual-space
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: sequences of nyāsa, mudrā, and mantra-śuddhi in ritual chapters around 25–26
FAQs
This verse presents kara-nyāsa as a required preparatory consecration: the practitioner ritually “installs” bīja-syllables onto the fingers and hand to make the mantra-practice effective and purified.
It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; instead, it gives the ritual preliminaries (purification, mudrā, nyāsa) that traditionally precede recitations and rites connected with dharma and post-death observances.
If performing Garuda Purana-related recitation or rites, begin with a disciplined, reverent preparation—purification and focused mantra-placement—to cultivate attention, sanctity, and correctness in practice.