Shloka 8

Cāturmāsya Observances—Commencement, Austerities, and Fruits

Devanagari script

चान्द्रायणाद्धरेर्धाम लभेन्मुक्तिमयाचिताम् / प्राजापत्यं विष्णुलोकं पराकव्रतकृद्धरिम्

Transliteration

cāndrāyaṇāddharerdhāma labhenmuktimayācitām / prājāpatyaṃ viṣṇulokaṃ parākavratakṛddharim

Translation

بأداء نُسُك «تشاندرايانا» ينال المرءُ مقامَ هَري ويُرزَقُ مُكتيً لا يُسأل عنها. وبشعيرة «براجابَتْيا» يبلغُ عالَمَ فيشنو. ومن أخذَ نذرَ «باراكا» بلغَ هَري.

Word by Word

• चान्द्रायणात्: from (observing) the Cāndrāyaṇa vow
• चान्द्रायणात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• धाम: abode
• धाम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धामन्/धाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अयाचिताम्: unasked-for, unsolicited
• अयाचिताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयाचित (प्रातिपदिक; √याच् (धातु) + क्त, उपसर्ग-निषेध ‘अ-’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्तान्त कृदन्त; मुक्तेः विशेषणम्

• प्राजापत्यम्: the Prājāpatya (penance/vow)
• प्राजापत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक; प्रजापति + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (व्रतनाम)

• विष्णुलोकम्: Vishnu’s world
• विष्णुलोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः: विष्णु-लोकम्

• पराक: supreme/strict (name of a vow)
• पराक: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्/विशेषणरूपेण (समासाङ्ग)

• व्रत: vow
• व्रत: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• कृत्: one who has performed the Parāka vow
• कृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्तान्त कृदन्त; समासः: पराक-व्रत-कृत् (‘पराकव्रतं कृतवान्’)

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda / Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cāndrāyaṇa leads to Hari’s abode and spontaneous (ayācitā) mukti; Prājāpatya grants Viṣṇuloka; Parāka vow culminates in attaining Hari.

Vedantic Theme: Mokṣa as ultimately grace-bestowed, with tapas as preparatory purification; bhakti-tinted prāyaścitta becomes a ladder beyond mere merit.

Application: If undertaking major vratas (Cāndrāyaṇa/Prājāpatya/Parāka), do so with proper initiation, health safeguards, and devotional orientation (Hari-smaraṇa), treating austerity as mind-purification rather than self-harm.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: divine abode

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: definitions and procedures of Cāndrāyaṇa, Prājāpatya, Parāka in prāyaścitta/vṛata chapters; Garuda Purana: passages equating Hari-prāpti with highest puruṣārtha

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Vishnuloka
• Prajapati (by implication in prājāpatya)

FAQs

What is the importance of Cāndrāyaṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Cāndrāyaṇa as a powerful observance whose fruit is entry into Hari’s abode and even “unsolicited” liberation, emphasizing its role as a high-grade expiation and spiritual discipline.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It links disciplined vows (vrata) and expiatory rites (prāyaścitta) with post-mortem spiritual destinations—Viṣṇuloka and ultimately Hari—showing a karma-and-dharma-based route toward liberation rather than punishment-focused afterlife outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt disciplined, ethically grounded observances under guidance (fasting/vows, restraint, charity, truthfulness) as a form of self-purification, treating spiritual practice as corrective action that aligns life with dharma.