Shloka 24

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

षट्त्रिंशन्मात्रकः श्रेष्ठश्चतुर्विंशतिमात्रकः / मध्यो द्वादशमात्रस्तु ओङ्कारं सततं जपेत्

Transliteration

ṣaṭtriṃśanmātrakaḥ śreṣṭhaścaturviṃśatimātrakaḥ / madhyo dvādaśamātrastu oṅkāraṃ satataṃ japet

Translation

إنَّ نُطق «أوم» (Oṁ) بستٍّ وثلاثين مَاتْرَا هو الأَفْضَل، وبأربعٍ وعشرين مَاتْرَا هو أيضًا جليل؛ وأمّا المقدار المتوسط فاثنتا عشرة مَاتْرَا. فلْيُداوِم المرء على ترديد «أومكارا» دائمًا.

Word by Word

• ṣaṭtriṃśat-mātrakaḥ: having thirty-six measures (mātrās)
• ṣaṭtriṃśat-mātrakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭtriṃśat (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + mātraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षट्त्रिंशत्-मात्रकः = षट्त्रिंशन्मात्राणि यस्य (निर्धारण-तत्पुरुष)

• śreṣṭhaḥ: the best
• śreṣṭhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• caturviṃśati-mātrakaḥ: having twenty-four measures
• caturviṃśati-mātrakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturviṃśati (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + mātraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; चतुर्विंशति-मात्रकः = चतुर्विंशतिमात्राणि यस्य (निर्धारण-तत्पुरुष)

• madhyaḥ: the middling (one)
• madhyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• dvādaśa-mātraḥ: having twelve measures
• dvādaśa-mātraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्वादश-मात्रः = द्वादशमात्राणि यस्य (निर्धारण-तत्पुरुष)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• oṅkāram: the syllable Oṃ (Oṅkāra)
• oṅkāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: oṅkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

• satatam: constantly
• satatam: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• japet: should recite/mutter
• japet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (जप्, धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pranava-japa with regulated mātrā (duration) refines attention and steadies mind toward liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Oṁ as śabda-brahman leading to para-brahman; upāsanā as a support for nididhyāsana.

Application: Practice Oṁ-japa daily with a chosen mātrā-count (12/24/36) suited to capacity; keep rhythm steady and attention on resonance rather than volume.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.25 (Pranava knowledge; Viṣṇu-mantra; Gāyatrī); Garuda Purana 1.235.26-28 (pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā with prāṇāyāma)

Characters & Entities

• Omkara

FAQs

What is the importance of Oṁkāra-japa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Oṁ as a constant japa-practice and even specifies graded mātrā-lengths, implying that disciplined, measured recitation of Oṁ is a central, repeatable sādhana.

What do 12, 24, and 36 mātrās mean in this verse?

They indicate the time-length of the utterance of Oṁ in mantra-recitation; 12 mātrās is described as the medium measure, 24 as a higher measure, and 36 as the best (most refined/extended) form of chanting.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a steady daily practice of Oṁ repetition, gradually training attention and breath to chant it in a measured, unhurried way (starting with a comfortable length and moving toward more sustained recitation).