Shloka 2

Phala-Saptamī and Vijayā-Saptamī: Bhādrapada Worship, Feeding, Mantra, and Sevenfold Saptamī Restraints

Devanagari script

सप्तम्यां प्राशयेच्चपि भोज्यं विप्रान्रविं यजेत् / ॐ खखोल्कायमृतत्वं (तन्तं) प्रियसङ्गमो भव सद स्वाहा

Transliteration

saptamyāṃ prāśayeccapi bhojyaṃ viprānraviṃ yajet / oṃ khakholkāyamṛtatvaṃ (tantaṃ) priyasaṅgamo bhava sada svāhā

Translation

في يوم السبتَمي (اليوم القمري السابع) ينبغي أيضًا إطعام الناس، وتقديم طعامٍ للبراهمة، وعبادة الشمس. ثم يُتلى: «أوم—يا خَخُولْكايا—امنح الخلود؛ ولتكن مُلازمةٌ دائمةٌ لما هو محبوب؛ سْفَاهَا».

Word by Word

• saptamyām: on the seventh (lunar day)
• saptamyām: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saptamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तिथिनाम

• prāśayet: should cause to eat / should feed
• prāśayet: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aś (धातु) + pra (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative) अर्थः ‘खादयेत्/भोजयेत्’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• bhojyam: food (fit to be eaten)
• bhojyam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojya (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘भुज्’ धातोः यत्-प्रत्ययान्त, अर्थः ‘भोजनीयम्’

• viprān: brāhmaṇas
• viprān: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• ravim: the Sun
• ravim: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ravi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• yajet: should worship/sacrifice to
• yajet: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yaj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• oṃ: Oṃ
• oṃ: Sambodhana/Mantra marker (मन्त्राङ्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: oṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (mantra-particle/प्रणव)

• khakholkāya: to Khakholkā (mantric epithet)
• khakholkāya: Sampradāna (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khakholkā (प्रातिपदिक; मन्त्र-नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; मन्त्रे देवता/शक्तिनाम (dative of invocation)

• amṛtatvam: immortality
• amṛtatvam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amṛtatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• tantaṃ: (tantaṃ) (unclear; possibly ‘that’/a mantric term)
• tantaṃ: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; पाठान्तर-शब्द (uncertain reading)

• priya-saṅgamaḥ: beloved union/meeting
• priya-saṅgamaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priya + saṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘प्रियस्य सङ्गमः’)

• bhava: be
• bhava: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sada: always
• sada: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• svāhā: svāhā
• svāhā: Mantra marker (मन्त्रान्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svāhā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (mantra-ending particle)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Atithi-sevā and brāhmaṇa-bhojana joined with Sūrya-upāsanā; mantra frames the rite as seeking amṛtatva and iṣṭa-saṅgama.

Vedantic Theme: Devotion and duty as means to inner steadiness; ‘amṛtatva’ here functions as longevity/wholeness, ultimately pointing to the quest for the deathless.

Application: On Saptamī: feed others, honor learned persons, perform Sūrya worship with focused japa of the given mantra (or a standard Sūrya mantra if lineage requires).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: household/temple ritual setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.130.3–1.130.5: continuation of Phala-saptamī/Sūrya-related observance; Garuda Purana: dāna and brāhmaṇa-bhojana as recurring dharma motifs

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Ravi)
• Brahmanas (Vipras)

FAQs

What is the importance of Saptami (the seventh lunar day) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse links Saptamī with dharmic acts—feeding and honoring brāhmaṇas and worshipping Sūrya—presented as a merit-producing observance supported by mantra.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s teachings on the soul’s path after death?

While not describing the post-death journey directly, it emphasizes merit (puṇya) through charity and worship—core supports in the Garuda Purana framework for favorable outcomes and reduced suffering across transitions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

On Saptamī, practice a simple discipline: offer respectful support/food to the needy or learned, perform a brief Sun salutation/prayer, and keep the intention of cultivating longevity, clarity, and dharmic living.