Shloka 12

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

Devanagari script

ॐ भूर्विन्यस्य हृदये ॐ भुवः शिरसि न्यसेत् / ॐ स्वरिति शिखायां च गायत्त्र्याः प्रथमं पदम्

Transliteration

oṃ bhūrvinyasya hṛdaye oṃ bhuvaḥ śirasi nyaset / oṃ svariti śikhāyāṃ ca gāyattryāḥ prathamaṃ padam

Translation

ॐ भूः हृदये विन्यस्य, ॐ भुवः शिरसि न्यसेत्। ॐ स्वः शिखायां च—गायत्र्याः प्रथमं पदम्॥

Word by Word

• ॐ: Oṃ
• ॐ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-शब्दः; अव्ययम् (मन्त्र-उच्चारण)

• भूः: bhūḥ (earth-sphere)
• भूः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूः (प्रातिपदिक/मन्त्रपद)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मन्त्रपदम् (भूर्भुवःस्वः)

• विन्यस्य: having placed (nyāsa)
• विन्यस्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नि + अस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘having placed/assigned’

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ॐ: Oṃ
• ॐ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-शब्दः; अव्ययम्

• भुवः: bhuvaḥ (mid-sphere)
• भुवः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवस् (प्रातिपदिक/मन्त्रपद)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मन्त्रपदम् (भुवः)

• शिरसि: on/in the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न्यसेत्: should place/assign
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ॐ: Oṃ
• ॐ: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-शब्दः; अव्ययम्

• स्वः: svaḥ (heaven-sphere)
• स्वः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वः (प्रातिपदिक/मन्त्रपद)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; मन्त्रपदम् (स्वः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक अव्ययम् (quotative particle)

• शिखायाम्: in the topknot/crown (śikhā)
• शिखायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• गायत्त्र्याः: of Gāyatrī
• गायत्त्र्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• पदम्: word/foot (pada)
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within the Achara Kanda’s ritual teaching context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Microcosm–macrocosm correspondence: triloka syllables installed in bodily centers to awaken disciplined awareness.

Vedantic Theme: Antaryāmin-upāsanā: turning attention inward so the sacred is recognized within the embodied field.

Application: Perform nyāsa with clear touch/visualization: Bhūr at heart, Bhuvaḥ at head, Svaḥ at śikhā; keep breath steady and attention unbroken.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual body-mandala

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.36.13 (kavaca/eyes/aṅga-nyāsa); Garuda Purana 1.36.14 (Sandhyā-japa and prāṇāyāma)

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri
• Om
• Bhūr
• Bhuvaḥ
• Svaḥ

FAQs

What is the importance of nyāsa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents nyāsa as a method of sanctifying the practitioner’s body by ritually “installing” sacred syllables (Bhur, Bhuvaḥ, Svaḥ) in specific loci, aligning inner intention with mantra-power.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it prepares the practitioner through purification and mantra-discipline; such ritual grounding in dharma and mantra is taught as supportive for spiritual clarity, especially in texts that also discuss post-death states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If you recite Gāyatrī, you can precede it with a brief, mindful nyāsa—placing ‘Om Bhūr’ at the heart, ‘Om Bhuvaḥ’ at the head, and ‘Om Svaḥ’ at the crown—cultivating focus and reverence.