Shloka 20

Āhnika-Dharma: Dawn Purification, Sandhyā-Upāsanā, Tarpana, Pañca-Mahāyajñas, and Aśauca Rules

Devanagari script

ऐश्वरी केवला शक्तिस्तत्त्वत्रयसमुद्भवा / ध्यात्वा रक्तां सितां कृष्णां गायत्त्रीं वै जपेद्वुधः

Transliteration

aiśvarī kevalā śaktistattvatrayasamudbhavā / dhyātvā raktāṃ sitāṃ kṛṣṇāṃ gāyattrīṃ vai japedvudhaḥ

Translation

Gāyatrī ist die souveräne, absolute Śakti, hervorgegangen aus der Dreiheit der Prinzipien (den drei Tattvas). Nachdem man Gāyatrī in ihren roten, weißen und schwarzen Gestalten betrachtet hat, soll der Weise wahrlich ihr Mantra im Japa wiederholen.

Word by Word

• ऐश्वरी: sovereign, divine
• ऐश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aiśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शक्तिः’

• केवला: pure, absolute
• केवला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शक्तिः’

• शक्तिः: power, śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्त्व-त्रय-समुद्भवा: arisen from the triad of principles
• तत्त्व-त्रय-समुद्भवा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक) + samudbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (तत्त्वत्रयात् समुद्भवा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शक्तिः’

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated upon
• ध्यात्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhyai (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• रक्ताम्: red
• रक्ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘गायत्त्रीम्’

• सिताम्: white
• सिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘गायत्त्रीम्’

• कृष्णाम्: black/dark
• कृष्णाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘गायत्त्रीम्’

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

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphasis)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बुधः: the wise person
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gāyatrī as sovereign, absolute Śakti arising from tattva-traya; visualization (raktā/sitā/kṛṣṇā) supports mantra-japa and inner transformation.

Vedantic Theme: Śakti-tattva as the dynamic expression of reality; triadic principle (often read as guṇa-traya or tri-level cosmos) integrated into upāsanā.

Application: Before japa, visualize Gāyatrī in the prescribed color-forms (red/white/black) as aspects of power and purification; then perform steady japa with meaning and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: inner visualization (dhyāna) within sandhyā practice

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.50.17 (Gāyatrī as Veda-mātā; Oṁ and vyāhṛtis); Garuda Purana 1.50.19 (dhyāna framework)

Characters & Entities

• Gayatrī
• Śakti
• Tattva-traya

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayatrī in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gayatrī as the supreme divine power (śakti) connected to fundamental principles (tattva-traya), and recommends her japa as a primary disciplined practice for the wise.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it points to inner purification and spiritual alignment through meditation and mantra-japa—practices that strengthen dharma and clarity, which the Garuda Purana repeatedly treats as essential supports for one’s post-death journey and higher destiny.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt a steady Gayatrī japa practice with focused dhyāna (meditation), contemplating her transformative energies (symbolized by red, white, and dark forms) to cultivate discipline, purity, and discernment.