Shloka 122

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

प्रातः स्नायी तदाप्नोति वर्षेण श्रद्धयान्वितः / य इच्छेद्विपुलान् भोगांश्चन्द्रसूर्यग्रहोपमान्

Transliteration

prātaḥ snāyī tadāpnoti varṣeṇa śraddhayānvitaḥ / ya icchedvipulān bhogāṃścandrasūryagrahopamān

Translation

Wer in der Frühe beim Anbruch des Tages badet, von śraddhā (Glauben) erfüllt, erlangt binnen eines Jahres die ersehnte Frucht—wenn er reichliche Genüsse begehrt, dem Glanz von Mond, Sonne und den himmlischen Gestirnen gleich.

Word by Word

• प्रातः: in the morning
• प्रातः: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: in the morning)

• स्नायी: one who bathes
• स्नायी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नायिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √स्ना धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: that (result)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन

• वर्षेण: by (observing for) a year
• वर्षेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• अन्वितः: endowed (with)
• अन्वितः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √इ (इण्) + नि/अनु उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• इच्छेत्: would desire
• इच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• विपुलान्: abundant
• विपुलान्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying भोगान्)

• भोगान्: enjoyments
• भोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन

• चन्द्रसूर्यग्रहोपमान्: comparable to the moon, sun, and planets
• चन्द्रसूर्यग्रहोपमान्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र + सूर्य + ग्रह + उपमान (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपमानार्थक: चन्द्र-सूर्य-ग्रह-उपमान = 'like the moon, sun, and planets'; विशेषण (qualifying भोगान्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Shraddha-yukta nitya-kriya (pratah-snana) yields timely, proportionate results; desire shapes the phala.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyama under Ishvara; purification (shauca) as support for sattva and dharmic life.

Application: Adopt consistent early-morning bathing with sincere intent; pair with simple vows and restraint to stabilize practice for a year.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: snana-tirtha (unspecified)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta/Acara sections): emphasis on shauca, snana, vrata-phala; Garuda Purana: Ekadashi/Visnu-bhakti passages that connect purity with devotion

Characters & Entities

• Chandra
• Surya
• Grahas

FAQs

What is the importance of early morning bathing (prātaḥ snāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents prātaḥ snāna performed with śraddhā as a dharmic purifier that yields tangible results—prosperity and refined enjoyments—within a stated timeframe.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

While not describing the after-death journey directly, it reinforces the Garuda Purana theme that disciplined daily dharma and purity practices shape one’s merit (puṇya), which in turn influences one’s post-mortem and celestial outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a consistent dawn routine of cleanliness and mindful intention (śraddhā), treating daily purification as a foundation for ethical living, clarity, and steadier prosperity.