Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

तं हन्ति सूर्यः सन्ध्यायां नोपास्तिं कुरुते तु यः / तुरीयस्य पदस्यापि ऋषिर्निर्मल एव च

Transliteration

taṃ hanti sūryaḥ sandhyāyāṃ nopāstiṃ kurute tu yaḥ / turīyasya padasyāpi ṛṣirnirmala eva ca

Translation

Sa oras ng sandhyā (takipsilim), ang Araw bilang banal na saksi ay nagpaparusa sa hindi nagsasagawa ng itinakdang pagsamba sa Sandhyā. At upang marating ang “turīya-pada,” ang ṛṣi ay dapat maging walang dungis at ganap na dalisay.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हन्ति: kills/strikes
• हन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सूर्यः: the Sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता

• सन्ध्यायाम्: at twilight
• सन्ध्यायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (time-locative)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• उपास्तिम्: worship/attendance (upāsanā)
• उपास्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपास्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• कुरुते: does/performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—अवधारण/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• तुरीयस्य: of the fourth (turīya)
• तुरीयस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुरीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘तुरीयस्य (पदस्य)’

• पदस्य: of the state/position
• पदस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (also/even)

• ऋषिः: the seer (ṛṣi)
• ऋषिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता/विधेय-नाम

• निर्मलः: pure
• निर्मलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (only/indeed)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Neglect of prescribed sandhyā-upāsanā incurs grave demerit; attainment of turīya requires the ṛṣi/sādhaka to be nirmala (stainless).

Vedantic Theme: Adhikāritva (fitness) for higher realization depends on śuddhi (purification) and disciplined practice.

Application: Maintain daily sandhyā (or a consistent equivalent discipline of prayer/meditation at dawn/dusk); cultivate purity of conduct, speech, and mind as qualification for deeper realization.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: temporal sacred threshold

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.36.16 (turīya beyond rajas); Garuda Purana 1.36.18 (Gāyatrī as chandas/devatā); Garuda Purana 1.37.1-2 (Gāyatrī japa and its kalpa)

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya (Sun-deity)
• Sandhyā (twilight rite)
• Ṛṣi (seer/aspirant)
• Turīya (the Fourth state)

FAQs

What is the importance of Sandhyā worship in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse treats Sandhyā-upāsanā as a mandatory daily duty; neglecting it is portrayed as spiritually ruinous, with Sūrya (as divine regulator of time and dharma) punishing the lapse.

How does this verse relate to liberation (mokṣa) or higher states like turīya?

It links outer discipline (regular twilight worship) with inner qualification: to realize turīya, the aspirant must be nirmala—ethically and mentally purified—showing that realization depends on purity, not theory alone.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep a consistent daily spiritual routine at dawn/dusk (prayer, japa, meditation), and prioritize purity of conduct and mind—because steady practice and cleanliness are presented as prerequisites for higher realization.