Shloka 59

Devanagari script

एतद्दशाघघातार्थं गङ्गास्नानं करोम्यहम् / प्रातः संक्षेपतः स्नानं वानप्रस्थगृहस्थयोः

Transliteration

etaddaśāghaghātārthaṃ gaṅgāsnānaṃ karomyaham / prātaḥ saṃkṣepataḥ snānaṃ vānaprasthagṛhasthayoḥ

Translation

“To destroy these ten sins, I perform a bath in the Gaṅgā. In brief: the morning bath is prescribed for the householder (gṛhastha) and the forest-dweller (vānaprastha).”

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (pronoun-adjective, neuter nom/acc sg)

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषणम्; (numeral adjective)

• agha: sins
• agha: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (neuter, genitive plural; ‘of sins’) first member in compound

• ghāta: destruction
• ghāta: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive in compound; ‘of destruction’)

• artham: for the purpose (of destroying)
• artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: etat-daśa-agha-ghāta-artha (acc sg)

• gaṅgā: of the Ganga
• gaṅgā: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive in compound: ‘of Ganga’)

• snānam: bathing (in the Ganga)
• snānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: gaṅgā-snāna (acc sg)

• karomi: I do/perform
• karomi: Kriyā (Action/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 1st person sg)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aham (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषवाचक, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pronoun, nominative singular)

• prātaḥ: in the morning
• prātaḥ: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prātaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• saṃkṣepataḥ: briefly/in summary
• saṃkṣepataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saṃkṣepatas (अव्यय; from saṃkṣepa)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (manner adverb: ‘briefly/in short’)

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karma/Viṣaya (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg; topic)

• vānaprastha: of the forest-dweller (vānaprastha)
• vānaprastha: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānaprastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचन (genitive dual; first member in dvandva)

• gṛhasthayoḥ: of the householder (and forest-dweller)
• gṛhasthayoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛhastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः: vānaprastha + gṛhastha (gen dual)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pāpa-kṣaya through tīrtha-snāna undertaken with intention; daily morning bath as a prescribed purificatory act for gṛhastha and vānaprastha.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-śuddhi supporting antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi; external purity as aid to inner recollection and dharma.

Application: Maintain a consistent morning purification routine (bath, ācamana, prayer); when possible, undertake tīrtha-yātrā with repentance and resolve to reform conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: river/tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.57–58 (ten sins to be destroyed); Garuda Purana 1.213.60 (ācamana, tīrtha-āvāhana, remembrance of Hari)

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

What is the importance of Ganga snana in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gaṅgā-bathing as a purificatory act aimed at the destruction of “ten sins,” highlighting snāna as a key daily practice within dharma-oriented conduct.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing purification through morning snāna and Gaṅgā-snāna, the verse links ethical-ritual discipline with reducing sin (agha), which in Garuda Purana contexts is central to avoiding suffering and unfavorable post-death consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a consistent morning purification routine (snāna) with a sincere intent of self-correction; if Gaṅgā-snāna is not possible, emulate the spirit through clean bathing, prayer, and restraint from harmful actions.