Shloka 3

Devanagari script

त्रैलोक्यचरणा ज्ञेया पृथिवीकुक्षिसंस्थिता / एवं ज्ञात्वा तु गायत्त्रीं जपेद्द्वादशलक्षकम्

Transliteration

trailokyacaraṇā jñeyā pṛthivīkukṣisaṃsthitā / evaṃ jñātvā tu gāyattrīṃ japeddvādaśalakṣakam

Translation

గాయత్రిని త్రైలోక్యాధార-చరణగా, భూమి కుక్షిలో స్థితగా తెలుసుకోవాలి. ఇలా తెలిసి గాయత్రిని ద్వాదశ లక్షములు జపించాలి.

Word by Word

• त्रैलोक्यचरणा: having the three worlds as (her) feet
• त्रैलोक्यचरणा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुषः (त्रैलोक्यस्य चरणाः/चरणा) — Feminine, Nominative singular

• ज्ञेया: should be known
• ज्ञेया: Vidhi (Injunctive predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थे भाव्य-कर्तव्यतासूचक ‘ज्ञेय’ (तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त) — Feminine, Nominative singular; ‘to be known’

• पृथिवीकुक्षिसंस्थिता: situated in the earth’s womb
• पृथिवीकुक्षिसंस्थिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक) + कुक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्-स्था (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; ‘संस्थित’ (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, past passive participle) — Feminine, Nominative singular; ‘situated in the earth’s womb’

• एवं: thus
• एवं: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण — Indeclinable adverb of manner

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — having known

• तु: indeed/then
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधसूचक निपात — particle (emphasis/contrast)

• गायत्त्रीम्: Gāyatrī (mantra)
• गायत्त्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative singular

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् — Optative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada

• द्वादशलक्षकम्: twelve lakhs (1,200,000) [times]
• द्वादशलक्षकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वादश लक्षाणि यस्य) — Neuter, Accusative singular; dvigu compound

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mantra-sādhana through quantified japa: knowing the devatā’s cosmic status is paired with a prescribed count (dvādaśa-lakṣa) to generate purification and merit.

Vedantic Theme: Sādhana as citta-śuddhi and dhyāna-yogyatā; the mantra as a bridge from vyāvahārika (worldly) to adhyātmika (inner) realization.

Application: Undertake a structured japa-vrata aiming at 1.2 million repetitions, with daily quotas, purity observances, and steady contemplation of Gāyatrī as triloka-support.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic support/ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.35.5 (Gāyatrī vinyāsa as sin-destroyer); Garuda Purana 1.35.4 (pāda-structure for japa/arcana)

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• Pṛthivī (Earth)
• Trailokya (three worlds)

FAQs

What is the importance of Gāyatrī in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gāyatrī as the foundational spiritual power sustaining the three worlds, making her japa a central purifier and merit-producing practice.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By prescribing sustained Gāyatrī japa, the verse emphasizes inner purification and dharmic merit—supports traditionally linked with favorable post-death outcomes and spiritual upliftment in Purāṇic teaching.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat mantra practice as disciplined, long-term sādhanā: consistent Gāyatrī recitation with understanding and reverence, aimed at ethical clarity and mental purification.