Shloka 11

Gāyatrī-nyāsa, Pāda-bheda, and Purificatory Power in Sādhana

Devanagari script

यद्यत्स्पृशति हस्तेन यच्च पश्यति चक्षुषा / पूतं भवति तत्सर्वं गायत्त्र्या न परं विदुः

Transliteration

yadyatspṛśati hastena yacca paśyati cakṣuṣā / pūtaṃ bhavati tatsarvaṃ gāyattryā na paraṃ viduḥ

Translation

Whatever one touches with the hand, and whatever one beholds with the eyes—all of it becomes purified; for they know nothing higher than the Gāyatrī.

Word by Word

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; यद्यत्-प्रयोगे पुनरुक्ति (correlative)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; यद्यत्-प्रयोगे पुनरुक्ति

• स्पृशति: touches
• स्पृशति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हस्तेन: with the hand
• हस्तेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; यच्च-प्रयोग (correlative)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• पश्यति: sees
• पश्यति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चक्षुषा: with the eye
• चक्षुषा: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• पूतम्: purified
• पूतम्: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्सर्वम्-सम्बन्धे निर्देश

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्-विशेषण

• गायत्त्र्या: by the Gāyatrī (mantra)
• गायत्त्र्या: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• परम्: anything higher/superior
• परम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'परं' = श्रेष्ठतरम् (as object of knowing)

• विदुः: they know
• विदुः: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gāyatrī as the highest purifier; mantra transforms perception and action, leading to inner purity (citta-śuddhi) that supports liberation.

Vedantic Theme: Purified antaḥkaraṇa as prerequisite for jñāna; mantra-upasana as a direct means to sattva and inward stillness.

Application: Adopt daily Gayatri japa with mindful conduct: let speech, sight, and touch be guided by the mantra’s recollection; use it before tasks to cultivate purity and restraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.35 (Gayatri/nyasa context culminating in praise of Gayatri)

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī

FAQs

What is the importance of the Gāyatrī in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gāyatrī as a supreme purifier—so potent that what one contacts (by touch) and apprehends (by sight) is said to become sanctified through it.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing inner and outer purification through mantra, it supports the broader Garuda Purana theme that purity of consciousness and conduct strengthens one’s spiritual trajectory and readiness for higher states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain daily mantra-discipline (japa/recitation) with mindful conduct—treating speech, sight, and touch as avenues to cultivate purity rather than distraction.