Shloka 20

Measurements of the Sun’s Chariot, the Wheel of Time, and the Retinues of the Solar Months; Chariots of Soma and the Grahas

Devanagari script

सवितुर्मण्डले ब्रह्मन्विष्णुशक्त्युपबृंहिताः / स्तुवन्ति मुनयः सूर्यं गन्धर्वैर्गोयते पुरः

Transliteration

saviturmaṇḍale brahmanviṣṇuśaktyupabṛṃhitāḥ / stuvanti munayaḥ sūryaṃ gandharvairgoyate puraḥ

Translation

O Brahmane, im Sonnenorbis (im Bereich Savitṛs) preisen die Weisen, gestärkt durch die Śakti Viṣṇus, die Sonne; und vorne besingen die Gandharvas Ihn in Gesängen.

Word by Word

• सवितुः: of Savitṛ (the Sun)
• सवितुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• मण्डले: in the orb/sphere
• मण्डले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• विष्णुशक्त्युपबृंहिताः: strengthened by Viṣṇu’s power
• विष्णुशक्त्युपबृंहिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु + शक्ति + उपबृंहित (कृदन्त; उप-√बृंह् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) 'upabṛṃhita' = strengthened; तत्पुरुष-समास (विष्णोः शक्त्या उपबृंहिताः)

• स्तुवन्ति: praise
• स्तुवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुनयः: sages
• मुनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सूर्यम्: the Sun
• सूर्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गन्धर्वैः: by the Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• गायते: is sung (sings)
• गायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पुरः: in front
• पुरः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (adverb: in front/ahead)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Praise (stuti) becomes effective when supported by Viṣṇu-śakti; divine grace empowers devotion and insight.

Vedantic Theme: Śakti of the Supreme (Viṣṇu) as enabling power behind all worship and spiritual efficacy; the Sun as a manifest support for contemplation of the Supreme.

Application: Before prayer, invoke divine support (saṅkalpa, humility); practice Sūrya-stuti with Vaiṣṇava orientation—seeing light as God’s grace in daily life.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial sphere

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.58.16–19 (monthly presiders); Garuda Purana 1.58.20 (culminating stuti scene)

Characters & Entities

• Savitṛ
• Brahman
• Viṣṇu
• Sūrya
• Munis
• Gandharvas

FAQs

What is the importance of the Savitṛ-maṇḍala (solar orb) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse portrays the Sun’s sphere as a sacred cosmic region where enlightened sages, empowered by Viṣṇu’s śakti, continually offer praise—indicating the Sun’s theological and cosmological centrality.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it frames the cosmos as ordered and sanctified: higher realms are sustained by divine power (Viṣṇu-śakti) and constant stuti, implying that spiritual ascent aligns with devotion and purity rather than mere geography.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Cultivate daily reverence and discipline—e.g., respectful sunrise prayer or mindful recitation—seeing cosmic order as supported by devotion, and letting that inspire ethical living and steadiness in practice.