Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

प्रातः काले च मध्याह्ने नमस्कुर्याद्दिवाकरम् / अथागम्य गृहं विप्रः (पश्चात्) समाचम्य यथाविधि

Transliteration

prātaḥ kāle ca madhyāhne namaskuryāddivākaram / athāgamya gṛhaṃ vipraḥ (paścāt) samācamya yathāvidhi

Translation

പ്രഭാതത്തിലും മധ്യാഹ്നത്തിലും സൂര്യദേവനെ നമസ്കരിക്കണം. പിന്നെ ഗൃഹത്തിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങി ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ വിധിപ്രകാരം പിന്നീട് ആചമനം ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• प्रातः: in the morning
• प्रातः: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb: in the morning)

• काले: at the time
• काले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (singular)

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

• मध्याह्ने: at midday
• मध्याह्ने: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्याह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• नमस्कुर्यात्: should bow / should pay obeisance
• नमस्कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस् + कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष? actually 3rd person; परस्मैपद; एकवचन; धातु: कृ (to do) with उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद 'नमस्' (to make obeisance)

• दिवाकरम्: the Sun
• दिवाकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भबोधक (then/thereafter)

• आगम्य: having come
• आगम्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); धातु: गम्; उपसर्ग: आ; अव्ययीभावप्रयोग (having come)

• गृहं: to the house/home
• गृहं: Karma (Goal as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विप्रः: the Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक (afterwards)

• समाचम्य: having performed ācamana (ritual sipping)
• समाचम्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आ + चम (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); धातु: चम (to sip); उपसर्ग: सम्, आ (having sipped water ritually)

• यथाविधि: according to the prescribed rule
• यथाविधि: Prakaraṇa (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + विधि (अव्ययीभाव-समास)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभावसमास; क्रियाविशेषण (according to rule)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nitya-karman: honoring Sūrya at prescribed times and maintaining ritual purity through ācāmana.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (purification of mind) as a prerequisite for higher knowledge and devotion.

Application: Keep fixed morning and midday pauses for reverence; perform ācāmana before study, worship, or meals to cultivate steadiness and cleanliness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic + liminal (threshold/sky-facing)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma/Ācāra sections): nitya-karman, śauca, sandhyā-related injunctions (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Divākara (Surya)

FAQs

What is the importance of saluting the Sun in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats reverence to Divākara (Surya) as a daily dharmic observance—performed morning and midday—supporting purity, discipline, and alignment with prescribed conduct.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by emphasizing daily purity rites (saluting Surya and performing ācamana), it reinforces dharma as the foundation that shapes karmic outcomes—central to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching on post-death consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a consistent daily practice: begin the day with a respectful remembrance of the Sun (gratitude/namaskāra) and observe simple purification habits (like ācamana or mindful cleansing) before religious or reflective activities.