Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

गायत्त्रीं वै जपेद्विद्वान्प्राङ्मुखः प्रयतः शुचिः / अथोपतिष्ठेदादित्यमुदयस्थं समाहितः

Transliteration

gāyattrīṃ vai japedvidvānprāṅmukhaḥ prayataḥ śuciḥ / athopatiṣṭhedādityamudayasthaṃ samāhitaḥ

Translation

ผู้รู้ผู้มีวินัยและความบริสุทธิ์ พึงสวดชปะคายตรีโดยหันหน้าไปทางทิศตะวันออก แล้วตั้งจิตเป็นสมาธิ บูชาอาทิตยะคือพระสุริยะ ณ กาลอรุณรุ่งเมื่อพระอาทิตย์ขึ้น

Word by Word

• गायत्रीम्: the Gāyatrī (mantra)
• गायत्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विद्वान्: a learned person
• विद्वान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राङ्मुखः: facing east
• प्राङ्मुखः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (दिशा-विशेषण)

• प्रयतः: restrained, disciplined
• प्रयतः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse connector (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• उपतिष्ठेत्: should stand near / worship
• उपतिष्ठेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आदित्यम्: the Sun (Āditya)
• आदित्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उदयस्थम्: situated at sunrise (rising)
• उदयस्थम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदय + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (आदित्यस्य)

• समाहितः: collected, composed
• समाहितः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाहित (प्रातिपदिक; सम्-आ-धा धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Nitya-karma: gāyatrī-japa and Sūrya-upasthāna performed with purity and mental steadiness.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi as preparation for jñāna; īśvara-upāsanā through pratyakṣa-jyotis (Sūrya).

Application: Establish a daily dawn routine: bathe/cleanse, sit facing east, recite gāyatrī with attention, then offer respectful salutations to the rising sun.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: directional-ritual setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.50 (Sandhyā/Āditya-upāsanā sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• Āditya (Sun)

FAQs

What is the importance of chanting Gāyatrī in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse presents Gāyatrī-japa as a core daily discipline for the learned, to be done with purity, restraint, and proper orientation—linking inner purification with Vedic worship.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it emphasizes living dharmically through daily purification and worship; such disciplined conduct supports spiritual clarity and merit, which the Garuḍa Purāṇa connects with favorable post-death outcomes elsewhere.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a clean, focused morning routine: recite Gāyatrī with attention (ideally at sunrise, facing east) and offer respectful prayer to the Sun as a practice of steadiness and purity.