Shloka 69

Devanagari script

गायत्त्रीं यो जपेन्नित्यं कल्यमुत्थाय मानवः / लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा

Transliteration

gāyattrīṃ yo japennityaṃ kalyamutthāya mānavaḥ / lipyate na sa pāpena padmapatramivāmbhasā

Translation

A person who rises at dawn and daily recites the Gāyatrī is not tainted by sin—just as a lotus leaf is not wetted by water.

Word by Word

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

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नित्यम्: daily, always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (नित्यत्व)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• कल्यम्: in the morning
• कल्यम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् (adverbial accusative); अर्थः—प्रातः/प्रभाते (in the morning)

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Kriya-visheshaṇa (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्+स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having risen)

• मानवः: a man, human
• मानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; यः इत्यस्य विशेष्य (apposition)

• लिप्यते: is tainted
• लिप्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (gets smeared/tainted)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पापेन: by sin, with sin
• पापेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पद्मपत्रम्: a lotus leaf
• पद्मपत्रम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (पद्मस्य पत्रम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-sambandha (Simile marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक (comparative particle)

• अम्भसा: by water
• अम्भसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Regular dawn recitation of Gāyatrī prevents the adhesion of sin; purity is maintained through consistent sāttvika practice.

Vedantic Theme: Nirliptatā (non-attachment/unstainedness) as a spiritual quality; karma does not bind when the mind is purified and aligned with dharma.

Application: Wake before sunrise; perform ācamana and brief pranayama; chant Gāyatrī a fixed count daily; reflect on ‘dhīmahi’ (we meditate) to cultivate luminous intellect.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: time-sacred setting (brahma-muhūrta implied)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213 (Gayatri description and benefits); Garuda Purana dharma passages on papa-kshaya through japa (general)

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayatri japa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents dawn-time daily Gāyatrī recitation as a powerful purifier that prevents sin from clinging to the practitioner, like water failing to stick to a lotus leaf.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing freedom from pāpa through disciplined practice, it points to how spiritual merit and purity support a favorable post-death trajectory by reducing the burdens that lead to suffering after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Wake at dawn, maintain a steady daily mantra practice (especially Gāyatrī) with ethical conduct, using it as a routine for mental clarity, self-restraint, and purification.