Shloka 1

Āhnika-Dharma: Dawn Purification, Sandhyā-Upāsanā, Tarpana, Pañca-Mahāyajñas, and Aśauca Rules

Devanagari script

नामैकोनपञ्चाशत्तमोध्यायः ब्रह्मोवाच / अहन्यहनि यः कुर्यात्क्रियां स ज्ञानमाप्नुयात् / ब्राह्मे मुहूर्ते चोत्थाय धर्ममर्थं च चिन्तयेत्

Transliteration

nāmaikonapañcāśattamodhyāyaḥ brahmovāca / ahanyahani yaḥ kuryātkriyāṃ sa jñānamāpnuyāt / brāhme muhūrte cotthāya dharmamarthaṃ ca cintayet

Translation

Brahmā said: Whoever, day after day, performs the prescribed daily observances attains true knowledge. Rising in the Brāhma-muhūrta, one should reflect upon dharma and also upon artha (right livelihood and purpose).

Word by Word

• नाम: (called) “name/entitled”
• नाम: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle); अध्याय-शीर्षकसूचकम्

• एकोनपञ्चाशत्तमः: forty-ninth
• एकोनपञ्चाशत्तमः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊन (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्चाशत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तम (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal)

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

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहनि: in a day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (locative used adverbially)

• अहनि: day by day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (iteration)

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

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्रियाम्: (ritual) act, practice
• क्रियाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: would attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्राह्मे: Brahma-related (early-morning)
• ब्राह्मे: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (to मुहूर्ते)

• मुहूर्ते: at the muhūrta
• मुहूर्ते: Adhikarana (Time locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

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

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अर्थम्: artha, purpose/wealth
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• चिन्तयेत्: should contemplate
• चिन्तयेत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Brahma

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nitya-kriyā (daily observances) and early rising cultivate jñāna; reflect on dharma and artha in a righteous framework.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana-catuṣṭaya support: śama–dama through regulated life; jñāna arises from purified antaḥkaraṇa.

Application: Wake before sunrise; set intentions: (1) dharma—right conduct, (2) artha—ethical livelihood; keep a consistent daily sādhana.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: temporal-sacred window

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma/Ācāra sections): emphasis on nitya-kriyā, snāna, sandhyā, smaraṇa of Hari

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Brahma-muhurta
• Dharma
• Artha

FAQs

What is the importance of daily kriyā (daily observances) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that steady, day-by-day performance of prescribed duties (kriyā) becomes a means to attain jñāna—clear spiritual understanding—through discipline and regularity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana’s framework?

While not describing after-death travel directly, it gives the ethical foundation: daily dharmic discipline and right living (dharma and artha) purify the mind and shape one’s karmic trajectory, which Garuda Purana later connects to post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Wake before sunrise (Brahma-muhūrta), keep a consistent daily practice (prayer, japa, study, service), and consciously align both duty (dharma) and livelihood/aims (artha) with integrity.