Shloka 24

Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline

Devanagari script

अहः शेषं सहासीत शिष्टैरिष्टैश्च बन्धुभिः / उपास्य पश्चिमां सन्ध्यां हुत्वाग्नौ भोजनं ततः

Transliteration

ahaḥ śeṣaṃ sahāsīta śiṣṭairiṣṭaiśca bandhubhiḥ / upāsya paścimāṃ sandhyāṃ hutvāgnau bhojanaṃ tataḥ

Translation

Let him spend the remainder of the day seated with respectable elders, dear friends, and relatives. Having performed the evening sandhyā and offered oblations into the sacred fire, he should then take his meal.

Word by Word

• अहः: the day (time)
• अहः: Karma (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (काल-परिमाण)

• शेषम्: remaining
• शेषम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to अहः)

• सह: with
• सह: Sambandha (Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition; ‘with’; governs instrumental)

• आसीत: should remain/sit
• आसीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-सम्भाव्य?; here best as लोट् (imperative) 3rd person singular ‘let him sit/remain’; परस्मैपद

• शिष्टैः: with the cultured (people)
• शिष्टैः: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्ट (कृदन्त; √शास् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), बहुवचन; ‘the cultured/learned’

• इष्टैः: with dear (friends)
• इष्टैः: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट (कृदन्त; √इष्/√यज् in sense ‘desired/dear’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘dear/liked ones’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• बन्धुभिः: with relatives
• बन्धुभिः: Sahakari (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• उपास्य: having worshipped
• उपास्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उपास्य (कृदन्त; √आस् धातु with upa-; ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having worshipped/attended’

• पश्चिमाम्: evening (western)
• पश्चिमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (to सन्ध्याम्)

• सन्ध्याम्: twilight prayer
• सन्ध्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हुत्वा: having offered (into fire)
• हुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having offered (oblation)’

• अग्नौ: in the fire
• अग्नौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• भोजनम्: meal/food
• भोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; sequence ‘then/thereafter’)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Spend the day with the cultured and kin; perform evening sandhyā; offer oblations into fire; then take भोजन—food as consecrated remainder after duty.

Vedantic Theme: Nitya-karma and yajña-spirit: aligning daily life with sacred order; food becomes ‘prasāda’ after offering, fostering sattva.

Application: Create a daily rhythm: time with wise company, evening reflection/prayer, a small offering/thanksgiving before dinner, then mindful eating.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: home with sacred fire (agni) and sitting hall

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana gṛhastha-dharma on sandhyā-vandana, agni worship, and regulated meals

FAQs

What is the importance of evening Sandhya (paścimā sandhyā) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse places evening Sandhyā worship as a mandatory daily transition-rite before eating, reinforcing discipline, purity, and remembrance of dharma at day’s end.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teachings on dharma?

It reflects the Ācāra (right conduct) framework: associating with the virtuous, observing Sandhyā, offering to Agni, and only then taking food—showing that daily life should be structured around worship and restraint.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep a simple evening routine: spend time with uplifting company, do a brief prayer/meditation at sunset, offer gratitude (symbolically as “Agni offering”), and eat mindfully afterward.