Shloka 59

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

एतद्दशाघघातार्थं गङ्गास्नानं करोम्यहम् / प्रातः संक्षेपतः स्नानं वानप्रस्थगृहस्थयोः

Transliteration

etaddaśāghaghātārthaṃ gaṅgāsnānaṃ karomyaham / prātaḥ saṃkṣepataḥ snānaṃ vānaprasthagṛhasthayoḥ

Translation

ان دس گناہوں کے خاتمے کے لیے میں گنگا میں اشنان کرتا ہوں۔ مختصراً—گِرہستھ اور وانپرستھ کے لیے صبح کا اشنان مقرر ہے۔

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (pronoun-adjective, neuter nom/acc sg)

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषणम्; (numeral adjective)

• agha: sins
• agha: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (neuter, genitive plural; ‘of sins’) first member in compound

• ghāta: destruction
• ghāta: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive in compound; ‘of destruction’)

• artham: for the purpose (of destroying)
• artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: etat-daśa-agha-ghāta-artha (acc sg)

• gaṅgā: of the Ganga
• gaṅgā: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (genitive in compound: ‘of Ganga’)

• snānam: bathing (in the Ganga)
• snānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: gaṅgā-snāna (acc sg)

• karomi: I do/perform
• karomi: Kriyā (Action/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 1st person sg)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aham (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषवाचक, प्रथमा, एकवचन (pronoun, nominative singular)

• prātaḥ: in the morning
• prātaḥ: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prātaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• saṃkṣepataḥ: briefly/in summary
• saṃkṣepataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saṃkṣepatas (अव्यय; from saṃkṣepa)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (manner adverb: ‘briefly/in short’)

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karma/Viṣaya (Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter nom/acc sg; topic)

• vānaprastha: of the forest-dweller (vānaprastha)
• vānaprastha: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānaprastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचन (genitive dual; first member in dvandva)

• gṛhasthayoḥ: of the householder (and forest-dweller)
• gṛhasthayoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛhastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः: vānaprastha + gṛhastha (gen dual)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pāpa-kṣaya through tīrtha-snāna undertaken with intention; daily morning bath as a prescribed purificatory act for gṛhastha and vānaprastha.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-śuddhi supporting antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi; external purity as aid to inner recollection and dharma.

Application: Maintain a consistent morning purification routine (bath, ācamana, prayer); when possible, undertake tīrtha-yātrā with repentance and resolve to reform conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: river/tirtha

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.57–58 (ten sins to be destroyed); Garuda Purana 1.213.60 (ācamana, tīrtha-āvāhana, remembrance of Hari)

Characters & Entities

• Ganga

FAQs

What is the importance of Ganga snana in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gaṅgā-bathing as a purificatory act aimed at the destruction of “ten sins,” highlighting snāna as a key daily practice within dharma-oriented conduct.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing purification through morning snāna and Gaṅgā-snāna, the verse links ethical-ritual discipline with reducing sin (agha), which in Garuda Purana contexts is central to avoiding suffering and unfavorable post-death consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain a consistent morning purification routine (snāna) with a sincere intent of self-correction; if Gaṅgā-snāna is not possible, emulate the spirit through clean bathing, prayer, and restraint from harmful actions.