Shloka 24

Mahāyoga: Detachment from ‘I/Mine’, Aṣṭāṅga Practice, Oṁkāra and Aham-Brahmāsmi Contemplation

Devanagari script

अकारश्च तथोकारो मकारश्चाक्षरत्रयम् / एतास्तिस्त्रस्ततो मात्राः सत्त्वराजसतामसाः

Transliteration

akāraśca tathokāro makāraścākṣaratrayam / etāstistrastato mātrāḥ sattvarājasatāmasāḥ

Translation

La lettre « A », de même « U » et « M » : ces trois-là forment la triade des syllabes. D’elles naissent les trois mātrās, correspondant à sattva, rajas et tamas.

Word by Word

• अकारः: the letter ‘a’ (akāra)
• अकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

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

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘likewise’)

• उकारः: the letter ‘u’ (ukāra)
• उकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• मकारः: the letter ‘m’ (makāra)
• मकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

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

• अक्षर-त्रयम्: the triad of syllables
• अक्षर-त्रयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (त्रयाणि अक्षराणि)

• एताः: these
• एताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण (मात्राः इत्यस्य)

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण

• ततः: therefrom
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तदर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘therefrom/then’)

• मात्राः: measures/mātrās
• मात्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• सत्त्व-राजस्-तामसाः: (as) sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic
• सत्त्व-राजस्-तामसाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक) + तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः; विशेषण (मात्राः इत्यस्य)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A-U-M as threefold akṣara; their mātrās correspond to sattva, rajas, tamas—using mantra to discern and transcend guṇas.

Vedantic Theme: Guṇa-traya viveka: recognizing prakṛti’s modes as not-self; mantra as a tool for discrimination and inner purification.

Application: During Oṃ contemplation, observe mental states: clarity (sattva), agitation (rajas), dullness (tamas); use breath, posture, and steady japa to increase sattva and witness all three as passing.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: mantric-cosmological mapping (A-U-M; mātrā; guṇa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.226.25 (half-mātrā; nirguṇa; musical note)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Sattva
• Rajas
• Tamas
• A-U-M (Om)

FAQs

What is the importance of AUM (akṣara-traya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents A-U-M as the foundational triad of sacred sound, from which the three mātrās are understood, mapping spiritual practice to the cosmic qualities (guṇas).

How does this verse connect sound (mātrā) with sattva, rajas, and tamas?

It states that the three sound-units associated with A-U-M correspond to the three guṇas, implying that mantra and vibration reflect (and can refine) the practitioner’s inner constitution.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Chant AUM with awareness: cultivate sattva through clarity and restraint, recognize rajas in restlessness, and reduce tamas by avoiding dullness—using mantra as a tool for inner balance.