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Upanishads · Gāruḍa 1.1
॥
Devanāgarī
स्वस्तिको दक्षिणं पादं वामपादं तु कुञ्चितम् । प्राञ्जलीकृतदोर्युग्मं गरुडं हरिवल्लभम्
Transliteration (IAST)
svastiko dakṣiṇaṃ pādaṃ vāmapādaṃ tu kuñcitam | prāñjalīkṛtadoryugmaṃ garuḍaṃ harivallabham
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
स्वस्तिकः दक्षिणं पादंsvastikaḥ dakṣiṇaṃ pādaṃthe right foot in svastika [pose]
वाम-पादं तु कुञ्चितम्vāma-pādaṃ tu kuñcitamthe left foot, however, bent
प्राञ्जली-कृत-दोः-युग्मंprāñjalī-kṛta-doḥ-yugmaṃwith both arms folded in a bow
गरुडं हरि-वल्लभम्garuḍaṃ hari-vallabham[we contemplate] Garuḍa, dear to Hari
Translation
«[We contemplate] Garuḍa, dear to Hari: the right foot in svastika [pose], the left foot bent, both arms folded in a bow».
Version
454ea1d8c506 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The dhyāna, “contemplation,” begins, in nine verses; and it is worth noting how it begins. The first thing said of Garuḍa is the posture of his hands: prāñjalī-kṛta-dor-yugmam, “with both arms folded in a bow.” Añjali is the joining of the palms before the chest; and this is the posture of one who asks and shows respect.
That is, the king of birds, the fire of time, the terror of serpents — is depicted with folded hands. This detail, to my mind, is the finest thing in this book and deserves being stated. His whole power is at once shown to be turned toward someone: he does not stand armed, he stands bowing.
The Vaiṣṇava side builds its whole understanding of Garuḍa on this, as discussed reading the second passage: his image is placed opposite the entrance facing the deity, and he alone in the temple looks always inward, not outward. Let us add the last word of the verse: hari-vallabham, “dear to Hari.” And the first word of the ninth, last verse will be viṣṇu-vāha, “bearer of Viṣṇu.”
That is, the contemplation opens and closes with an indication of whose he is; and he himself is never once described apart from this.