Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

दशभिर्जन्मजनितं शतेन तु पुरा कृतम् / त्रियुगं तु सहस्रेण गायत्त्री हन्ति दुष्कृतम्

Transliteration

daśabhirjanmajanitaṃ śatena tu purā kṛtam / triyugaṃ tu sahasreṇa gāyattrī hanti duṣkṛtam

Translation

دس جپ سے اسی جنم کے گناہ مٹتے ہیں، سو جپ سے پہلے کیے ہوئے گناہ، اور ہزار جپ سے تین یگوں میں جمع شدہ بدکرداری کو گایتری نیست و نابود کر دیتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• daśabhiḥ: by ten (recitations)
• daśabhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्या-शब्द (instrumental plural; ‘by ten’)

• janma-janitam: produced in this birth
• janma-janitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक) + janita (कृदन्त; √jan धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter accusative singular; adjective)

• śatena: by a hundred
• śatena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śata (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; संख्या-शब्द (instrumental singular; ‘by a hundred’)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Discourse (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Modifier (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)

• kṛtam: done, committed
• kṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (past passive participle; neuter acc sg)

• tri-yugam: (sin of) three ages
• tri-yugam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + yuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neuter accusative singular)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Discourse (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-अव्यय (particle)

• sahasreṇa: by a thousand
• sahasreṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; संख्या-शब्द (instrumental singular; ‘by a thousand’)

• gāyatrī: Gāyatrī (mantra)
• gāyatrī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• hanti: destroys
• hanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, 3rd sg)

• duṣkṛtam: evil deed, sin
• duṣkṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dus (उपसर्ग) + √kṛ (धातु) → duṣkṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neuter accusative singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Gāyatrī-japa has graded pāpa-destruction: 10 removes current-life sins, 100 removes earlier sins, 1000 removes wrongdoing spanning three yugas—stressing mantra potency and sustained practice.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-vāsanā attenuation through mantra; purification enabling sattva and eventual jñāna.

Application: Set a realistic daily japa target and periodically intensify (e.g., on vrata days); pair japa with ethical correction to prevent re-accumulation of pāpa.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual time (japa count)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.36 (gāyatrī as prāyaścitta; sandhyā duties)

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī

FAQs

What is the importance of the Gāyatrī in Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Gāyatrī-japa as a powerful means of purification, capable of destroying sins from the present life, earlier deeds, and even long-accumulated wrongdoing.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By emphasizing removal of duṣkṛta (demerit), it implies that spiritual practice like Gāyatrī-japa lightens karmic burden, supporting a more auspicious post-death journey and outcomes in the afterlife narrative of the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain regular, sincere Gāyatrī recitation (with ethical living), using it as daily self-purification and a discipline to reduce harmful tendencies and karmic consequences.