Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

रक्ता भवति गायत्त्री सावित्री शुक्लवर्णिका / कृष्णा सरस्वती ज्ञेया संध्यात्रयमुदाहृतम्

Transliteration

raktā bhavati gāyattrī sāvitrī śuklavarṇikā / kṛṣṇā sarasvatī jñeyā saṃdhyātrayamudāhṛtam

Translation

ഗായത്രി രക്തവർണ്ണയെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു; സാവിത്രി ശുക്ലവർണ്ണയാകുന്നു; സരസ്വതി കൃഷ്ണവർണ്ണയെന്നു അറിയണം. ഇങ്ങനെ ത്രിസന്ധ്യകളുടെ ത്രയം പ്രസ്താവിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• रक्ता: red (colored)
• रक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• भवति: becomes/is
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• गायत्त्री: Gāyatrī
• गायत्त्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सावित्री: Sāvitrī
• सावित्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (गायत्त्री-पर्याय/नाम)

• शुक्लवर्णिका: white-colored
• शुक्लवर्णिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• कृष्णा: black/dark
• कृष्णा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सरस्वती: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञेया: is to be known (as)
• ज्ञेया: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + य (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (तव्य/यत्-भाव), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be known)

• संध्यात्रयम्: the triad of twilight-times (three sandhyās)
• संध्यात्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (त्रयाणां संध्यानां समाहार/समूहः)

• उदाहृतम्: has been declared/said
• उदाहृतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + आ + हृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय; past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sandhyā-traya as a disciplined daily vrata with devatā-dhyāna through varṇa (color) symbolism.

Vedantic Theme: Upāsanā leading to antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (purification of mind) through regularity and sacred recollection.

Application: During Sandhyā, visualize the mantra’s devatā in the stated hues to stabilize attention and maintain consistency across the three daily rites.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual time-sphere

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.36.12-15 (nyāsa, japa, prāṇāyāma context)

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• Sāvitrī
• Sarasvatī
• Sandhyā (triad)

FAQs

What is the importance of Sandhyātraya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the three daily Sandhyā rites as a sacred triad connected with Gāyatrī, Sāvitrī, and Sarasvatī, emphasizing their distinct forms and the discipline of regular twilight worship.

How does this verse relate to the path of the soul in Garuda Purana teachings?

While not describing the after-death journey directly, it supports the Purāṇa’s broader ethic that daily Vedic observances purify the mind and karma, strengthening dharma that influences one’s post-mortem destiny.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Maintain a consistent morning–midday–evening spiritual routine (Sandhyā, japa, prayer), treating each time as a distinct contemplative practice aligned with purity, clarity, and inner restraint.