Shloka 1

Sandhyā-Upāsanā Vidhi: Prāṇāyāma, Water Purification, Aghāmarpaṇa, Sūrya Worship, Nyāsa, and Gāyatrī Japa

Devanagari script

नाम पञ्चत्रिंशो ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / सन्ध्याविधिं प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु रुद्राघनाशनम् / प्राणायामत्रयं कृत्वा सन्ध्यास्नानमुपक्रमेत्

Transliteration

nāma pañcatriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / sandhyāvidhiṃ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇu rudrāghanāśanam / prāṇāyāmatrayaṃ kṛtvā sandhyāsnānamupakramet

Translation

Hari (Lord Viṣṇu) said: “Now I shall declare the proper rite of Sandhyā worship—listen, for it destroys even grievous sins. Having performed the threefold prāṇāyāma, one should begin the Sandhyā bath, the ritual purification.”

Word by Word

• nāma: (called) / title marker
• nāma: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/iti-artha marker), अध्याय-शीर्षकसूचक

• pañcatriṃśaḥ: thirty-fifth
• pañcatriṃśaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcatriṃśat (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण; समासः द्विगु (pañca+triṃśat)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• hariḥ: Hari (Vishnu)
• hariḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sandhyā-vidhim: the rule/rite of twilight worship
• sandhyā-vidhim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sandhyāyāḥ vidhiḥ)

• pravakṣyāmi: I will explain
• pravakṣyāmi: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + pra (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Kriyā (Injunction/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• rudra-agha-nāśanam: O destroyer of Rudra-like sins / destroyer of grievous sin
• rudra-agha-nāśanam: Sambodhana (Vocative sense/सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक) + agha (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (rudrasya aghasya nāśanam / or rudrāgha-nāśanam as determinative)

• prāṇāyāma-trayam: the threefold breath-control
• prāṇāyāma-trayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇāyāma (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (prāṇāyāmasya trayam)

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया

• sandhyā-snānam: twilight bath
• sandhyā-snānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sandhyā (प्रातिपदिक) + snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sandhyāyāḥ snānam)

• upakramet: should begin
• upakramet: Kriyā (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kram (धातु) + upa (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Hari)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sandhyā-vidhi as daily obligatory purification; prāṇāyāma as preparatory tapas that destroys even grave sins.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (purification of the inner instrument) as a prerequisite for higher knowledge and devotion.

Application: Establish a daily Sandhyā routine: begin with threefold prāṇāyāma, then ritual bath/purification at the proper junction-times.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.36 (Sandhyā-vidhi sequence continuing with prāṇāyāma, ācamana, mārjana)

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Sandhyā-vidhi in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Sandhyā worship as a purifying daily discipline that can destroy even serious sins, making it a key practice of dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by emphasizing purification and sin-destruction through daily rites, it supports a life of dharma that shapes one’s post-death trajectory through karma.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Begin daily prayer/meditation with structured breath regulation (three rounds of prāṇāyāma) and a simple act of cleanliness/purification before worship.