Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

ऐश्वरी केवला शक्तिस्तत्त्वत्रयसमुद्भवा / ध्यात्वा रक्तां सितां कृष्णां गायत्त्रीं वै जपेद्वुधः

Transliteration

aiśvarī kevalā śaktistattvatrayasamudbhavā / dhyātvā raktāṃ sitāṃ kṛṣṇāṃ gāyattrīṃ vai japedvudhaḥ

Translation

คายตรีคือศักติอันเป็นใหญ่และบริสุทธิ์ เกิดจากตัตตวะทั้งสาม เมื่อภาวนาคายตรีในรูปสีแดง สีขาว และสีดำแล้ว ผู้มีปัญญาพึงสวดจปมนตร์ของพระนาง.

Word by Word

• ऐश्वरी: sovereign, divine
• ऐश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aiśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शक्तिः’

• केवला: pure, absolute
• केवला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शक्तिः’

• शक्तिः: power, śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्त्व-त्रय-समुद्भवा: arisen from the triad of principles
• तत्त्व-त्रय-समुद्भवा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक) + samudbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (तत्त्वत्रयात् समुद्भवा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शक्तिः’

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated upon
• ध्यात्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhyai (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• रक्ताम्: red
• रक्ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘गायत्त्रीम्’

• सिताम्: white
• सिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘गायत्त्रीम्’

• कृष्णाम्: black/dark
• कृष्णाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘गायत्त्रीम्’

• गायत्त्रीम्: Gāyatrī
• गायत्त्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphasis)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बुधः: the wise person
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gāyatrī as sovereign, absolute Śakti arising from tattva-traya; visualization (raktā/sitā/kṛṣṇā) supports mantra-japa and inner transformation.

Vedantic Theme: Śakti-tattva as the dynamic expression of reality; triadic principle (often read as guṇa-traya or tri-level cosmos) integrated into upāsanā.

Application: Before japa, visualize Gāyatrī in the prescribed color-forms (red/white/black) as aspects of power and purification; then perform steady japa with meaning and devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: inner visualization (dhyāna) within sandhyā practice

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.50.17 (Gāyatrī as Veda-mātā; Oṁ and vyāhṛtis); Garuda Purana 1.50.19 (dhyāna framework)

Characters & Entities

• Gayatrī
• Śakti
• Tattva-traya

FAQs

What is the importance of Gayatrī in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gayatrī as the supreme divine power (śakti) connected to fundamental principles (tattva-traya), and recommends her japa as a primary disciplined practice for the wise.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it points to inner purification and spiritual alignment through meditation and mantra-japa—practices that strengthen dharma and clarity, which the Garuda Purana repeatedly treats as essential supports for one’s post-death journey and higher destiny.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt a steady Gayatrī japa practice with focused dhyāna (meditation), contemplating her transformative energies (symbolized by red, white, and dark forms) to cultivate discipline, purity, and discernment.