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

Pada waktu pagi dan sekali lagi pada tengah hari, hendaklah seseorang menunduk memberi sembah kepada Surya, Sang Matahari. Kemudian, setelah pulang ke rumah, seorang brāhmaṇa hendaklah melakukan ācāmana sesudah itu, menurut tata cara yang ditetapkan.

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.