Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन प्रातः स्नानं समाचरेत् / प्रातः स्नानं प्रशंसन्ति दृष्टादृष्टष्टकरं हि तत्

Transliteration

tasmātsarvaprayatnena prātaḥ snānaṃ samācaret / prātaḥ snānaṃ praśaṃsanti dṛṣṭādṛṣṭaṣṭakaraṃ hi tat

Translation

Darum soll man mit allem Eifer das Bad am frühen Morgen üben. Die Weisen preisen das Morgenbad, denn es bringt Nutzen sowohl sichtbar in dieser Welt als auch unsichtbar (geistiges Verdienst) darüber hinaus.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Reason/source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of reason)

• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्वप्रयत्नेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करणार्थे (means: with all effort)

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

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• समाचरेत्: should practice/perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रातः: morning
• प्रातः: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• प्रशंसन्ति: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• दृष्टादृष्टष्टकरम्: producing desired results seen and unseen
• दृष्टादृष्टष्टकरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √दृश्) + अदृष्ट (नञ्+दृष्ट) + इष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √इष्/इच्छ्) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective dvandva) ‘दृष्टं च अदृष्टं च इष्टं च’ तेषां करम् (producing)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चय (particle: indeed/for)

• तत्: that (practice)
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; निर्देश (refers to प्रातः स्नानम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Morning bath should be practiced with full effort; it yields both worldly well-being and unseen spiritual merit.

Vedantic Theme: Adṛṣṭa-phala of karma supports gradual purification; disciplined karma prepares for bhakti/jñāna.

Application: Make early bathing non-negotiable when possible; treat it as preparation for the day’s duties and worship; maintain consistency rather than occasional intensity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: temporal setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: praise of snāna, sandhyā, and nitya-karma as dṛṣṭa/adṛṣṭa fruit-bearing

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of prātaḥ-snāna (morning bath) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that morning bathing should be done with full effort because it yields both visible benefits (cleanliness, steadiness, readiness for worship) and invisible benefits (spiritual merit).

How does this verse relate to unseen results (adṛṣṭa) in dharma?

It explicitly links a daily ritual act—morning bathing—to adṛṣṭa, meaning accumulated merit and subtle spiritual effects that are not immediately observable but are affirmed by dharma teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a consistent early-morning cleansing routine—ideally before prayer/meditation—as a discipline that supports both health and a dharmic, sattvic lifestyle.