Shloka 5

Devanagari script

हां नमः सर्वमातृभ्यस्ततः स्यात्प्राणसंयमः / आचामं मार्जनं चाथो गायत्रीं च जपेत्ततः

Transliteration

hāṃ namaḥ sarvamātṛbhyastataḥ syātprāṇasaṃyamaḥ / ācāmaṃ mārjanaṃ cātho gāyatrīṃ ca japettataḥ

Translation

Indem man spricht: „Hāṃ — Ehrerbietung allen göttlichen Müttern“, übe man sodann die Zügelung des Prāṇa. Danach vollziehe man Ācamana und Mārjana (reinigendes Besprengen) und rezitiere anschließend die Gāyatrī.

Word by Word

• hāṃ: hāṃ
• hāṃ: Mantra-marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hāṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: बीजाक्षर

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (Salutation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नमस्-शब्दः अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; नमः + (चतुर्थी)

• sarvamātṛbhyaḥ: to all the Mothers (divine mothers)
• sarvamātṛbhyaḥ: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय—सर्वाः मातरः

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (sequence adverb)

• syāt: should be
• syāt: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• prāṇasaṃyamaḥ: restraint of breath
• prāṇasaṃyamaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa + saṃyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—प्राणानां संयमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ācāmam: ācamana (ritual sipping)
• ācāmam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ācāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (आचमनम् इत्यर्थे)

• mārjanam: sprinkling/cleansing
• mārjanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• atho: then/thereupon
• atho: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha + u (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/प्रस्तावक (then/now)

• gāyatrīm: the Gāyatrī (mantra)
• gāyatrīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

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

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तर (sequence adverb)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sequence of inner and outer purification: invoke Mātṛs, restrain prāṇa, perform ācamana and mārjana, then Gāyatrī-japa—discipline leading toward sattva and spiritual clarity.

Vedantic Theme: Upāsanā and prāṇa-niyama as preparation for jñāna; Gāyatrī as buddhi-prakāśa (illumination of intellect).

Application: Adopt a consistent order: devotional salutation → brief breath regulation → water-based purification → mantra-japa (Gāyatrī) with steady attention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: frequent linkage of śauca, prāṇāyāma, and japa as preparatory limbs for rites and higher practice

Characters & Entities

• Sarva-Mātṛs (Divine Mothers)
• Gāyatrī

FAQs

What is the importance of prāṇasaṁyama (breath restraint) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse places prāṇasaṁyama immediately after salutation and before mantra-recitation, indicating that steadiness of prāṇa is a prerequisite for mental purity and effective japa.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification and disciplined practice (ācamana, mārjana, prāṇasaṁyama, Gāyatrī-japa) as dharmic preparation that supports spiritual clarity—foundational for higher aims like liberation discussed elsewhere in the Purāṇa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before meditation or mantra, follow a simple sequence: offer reverence, do a brief breath-regulation, cleanse (wash/sip water mindfully), and then chant Gāyatrī with attention and steadiness.