Shloka 11

Devanagari script

प्राणानायम्य सम्प्रोक्ष्य त्र्यृचेनाब्दैवतेन तु / जपन्नासीत सावित्त्रीं प्रत्यगातारकोदयात्

Transliteration

prāṇānāyamya samprokṣya tryṛcenābdaivatena tu / japannāsīta sāvittrīṃ pratyagātārakodayāt

Translation

Having restrained the breath by prāṇāyāma and performed the sprinkling purification, and then invoked the water-deity with the three ṛk-verses, one should sit and repeat the Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī) until the sun’s disc rises.

Word by Word

• प्राणान्: the breaths
• प्राणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• आयम्य: having restrained
• आयम्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + यम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• सम्प्रोक्ष्य: having sprinkled (purified)
• सम्प्रोक्ष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + प्र + उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• त्र्यृचेन: with the Tryṛc (three-verse hymn)
• त्र्यृचेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्र्यृच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• अब्दैवतेन: having the water-deity as presiding deity
• अब्दैवतेन: Karana (Instrument-qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अब्दैवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (त्र्यृचेन)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• जपन्: reciting
• जपन्: Karta (Agent in attendant action/कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त/active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियासहचर

• आसीत: should sit
• आसीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सावित्त्रीम्: the Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī)
• सावित्त्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रत्यगात्: should go/turn back (westward)
• प्रत्यगात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + अङ्/अञ्च् (धातु; गत्यर्थ)
• Form: लुङ् (aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अर्क-उदयात्: from sunrise
• अर्क-उदयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: After pranayama and prokshana (sprinkling), invoke the water-deity with three rks; then sit and repeat Savitri until sunrise is manifest.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual purity and sensory discipline support one-pointedness (ekagrata); Savitri as illuminator of buddhi (dhiyo yo nah pracodayat).

Application: Sequence the practice: pranayama → sprinkling purification → water-deity invocation (tri-rca) → seated Gayatri-japa until the sun’s orb rises; maintain posture and attention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-like ritual spot

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.94.10 (Gayatri with vyahritis/pranava); Garuda Purana 1.94.12 (sandhya timing; agnikarya)

Characters & Entities

• Savitri (Gayatri)
• Apah (waters)
• Arka (Sun)

FAQs

What is the importance of prāṇāyāma and water-sprinkling in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse places prāṇāyāma and samprokṣaṇa (sprinkling purification) as preparatory acts that cleanse body and mind before mantra-japa, making the practice ritually fit and spiritually focused.

How does this verse define the proper time and method for Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī) japa?

It instructs sitting for japa after purification, with a Vedic invocation connected to the water-deity, and continuing the Sāvitrī repetition up to sunrise (arka-udaya).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Begin the day with a short breath-regulation, a simple purification with water, then steady seated recitation/meditation on the Gāyatrī—maintaining consistency and reverence for daily discipline.