Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

दशभिर्जन्मजनितं शतेन तु पुरा कृतम् / त्रियुगं तु सहस्रेण गायत्त्री हन्ति दुष्कृतम्

Transliteration

daśabhirjanmajanitaṃ śatena tu purā kṛtam / triyugaṃ tu sahasreṇa gāyattrī hanti duṣkṛtam

Translation

दशभिर्जन्मजनितं शतेन पुराकृतम्। सहस्रेण त्रियुगजं गायत्री हन्ति दुष्कृतम्॥

Word by Word

• daśabhiḥ: by ten (recitations)
• daśabhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्या-शब्द (instrumental plural; ‘by ten’)

• janma-janitam: produced in this birth
• janma-janitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक) + janita (कृदन्त; √jan धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter accusative singular; adjective)

• śatena: by a hundred
• śatena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; संख्या-शब्द (instrumental singular; ‘by a hundred’)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Discourse (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Modifier (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)

• kṛtam: done, committed
• kṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (past passive participle; neuter acc sg)

• tri-yugam: (sin of) three ages
• tri-yugam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + yuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neuter accusative singular)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Discourse (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle)

• sahasreṇa: by a thousand
• sahasreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; संख्या-शब्द (instrumental singular; ‘by a thousand’)

• gāyatrī: Gāyatrī (mantra)
• gāyatrī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• hanti: destroys
• hanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, 3rd sg)

• duṣkṛtam: evil deed, sin
• duṣkṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dus (उपसर्ग) + √kṛ (धातु) → duṣkṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neuter accusative singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gāyatrī-japa has graded pāpa-destruction: 10 removes current-life sins, 100 removes earlier sins, 1000 removes wrongdoing spanning three yugas—stressing mantra potency and sustained practice.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-vāsanā attenuation through mantra; purification enabling sattva and eventual jñāna.

Application: Set a realistic daily japa target and periodically intensify (e.g., on vrata days); pair japa with ethical correction to prevent re-accumulation of pāpa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual time (japa count)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.36 (gāyatrī as prāyaścitta; sandhyā duties)

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī

FAQs

What is the importance of the Gāyatrī in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gāyatrī-japa as a powerful means of purification, capable of destroying sins from the present life, earlier deeds, and even long-accumulated wrongdoing.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing removal of duṣkṛta (demerit), it implies that spiritual practice like Gāyatrī-japa lightens karmic burden, supporting a more auspicious post-death journey and outcomes in the afterlife narrative of the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain regular, sincere Gāyatrī recitation (with ethical living), using it as daily self-purification and a discipline to reduce harmful tendencies and karmic consequences.