Shloka 24

Brahma-vidyā through Yoga: Restraint, Pranava Japa, and Samādhi leading to Mokṣa

Devanagari script

षट्त्रिंशन्मात्रकः श्रेष्ठश्चतुर्विंशतिमात्रकः / मध्यो द्वादशमात्रस्तु ओङ्कारं सततं जपेत्

Transliteration

ṣaṭtriṃśanmātrakaḥ śreṣṭhaścaturviṃśatimātrakaḥ / madhyo dvādaśamātrastu oṅkāraṃ satataṃ japet

Translation

Oṁ uttered with thirty-six mātrās is the best; that with twenty-four mātrās is also excellent; the medium measure is twelve mātrās. Therefore one should continually repeat the Oṁkāra.

Word by Word

• ṣaṭtriṃśat-mātrakaḥ: having thirty-six measures (mātrās)
• ṣaṭtriṃśat-mātrakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭtriṃśat (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + mātraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षट्त्रिंशत्-मात्रकः = षट्त्रिंशन्मात्राणि यस्य (निर्धारण-तत्पुरुष)

• śreṣṭhaḥ: the best
• śreṣṭhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• caturviṃśati-mātrakaḥ: having twenty-four measures
• caturviṃśati-mātrakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturviṃśati (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + mātraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; चतुर्विंशति-मात्रकः = चतुर्विंशतिमात्राणि यस्य (निर्धारण-तत्पुरुष)

• madhyaḥ: the middling (one)
• madhyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• dvādaśa-mātraḥ: having twelve measures
• dvādaśa-mātraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्वादश-मात्रः = द्वादशमात्राणि यस्य (निर्धारण-तत्पुरुष)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• oṅkāram: the syllable Oṃ (Oṅkāra)
• oṅkāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: oṅkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

• satatam: constantly
• satatam: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• japet: should recite/mutter
• japet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (जप्, धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pranava-japa with regulated mātrā (duration) refines attention and steadies mind toward liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Oṁ as śabda-brahman leading to para-brahman; upāsanā as a support for nididhyāsana.

Application: Practice Oṁ-japa daily with a chosen mātrā-count (12/24/36) suited to capacity; keep rhythm steady and attention on resonance rather than volume.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.235.25 (Pranava knowledge; Viṣṇu-mantra; Gāyatrī); Garuda Purana 1.235.26-28 (pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā with prāṇāyāma)

Characters & Entities

• Omkara

FAQs

What is the importance of Oṁkāra-japa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Oṁ as a constant japa-practice and even specifies graded mātrā-lengths, implying that disciplined, measured recitation of Oṁ is a central, repeatable sādhana.

What do 12, 24, and 36 mātrās mean in this verse?

They indicate the time-length of the utterance of Oṁ in mantra-recitation; 12 mātrās is described as the medium measure, 24 as a higher measure, and 36 as the best (most refined/extended) form of chanting.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a steady daily practice of Oṁ repetition, gradually training attention and breath to chant it in a measured, unhurried way (starting with a comfortable length and moving toward more sustained recitation).