Shloka 6

Vratas, Nakṣatra Observances, Naivedya Rules, and Tithi-wise Devatā Worship

Devanagari script

केशवं मार्गशीर्षे तु इत्यादौ कृतिकादिके (का) / घृतहोमश्चतुर्मासं कृसरञ्च निवेदयेत्

Transliteration

keśavaṃ mārgaśīrṣe tu ityādau kṛtikādike (kā) / ghṛtahomaścaturmāsaṃ kṛsarañca nivedayet

Translation

في شهر مارغَشِيرشا ينبغي عبادة كيشَفا. وابتداءً من كِرِتّيكَا (وما يليها من المنازل القمرية)، طوال أربعة أشهر تُقام قرابين الهُوما بالسمن المصفّى (غي) ويُقدَّم كذلك طعام كْرِسَرا نَيْوِدْيَا.

Word by Word

• केशवम्: Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• केशवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc. sg.); विष्णोर्नाम

• मार्गशीर्षे: in Mārgaśīrṣa (month)
• मार्गशीर्षे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc. sg.)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• इत्यादौ: and so on
• इत्यादौ: Sambandha (Reference/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः; अव्ययार्थे (adverbial) = ‘and so on / beginning with “iti”’

• कृतिकादिके: in the series beginning with Kṛttikā
• कृतिकादिके: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्तिका + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन (Loc. sg.); तत्पुरुषः (कृतिकादि-समूह/series beginning with Kṛttikā)

• का: who?/which? (variant reading)
• का: Sambandha (Parenthetical/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: का (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom. sg.); प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative) — पाठभेद/कोष्ठकस्थ

• घृतहोमः: ghee-offering (oblation)
• घृतहोमः: Karta/Visheshya (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत + होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन (Nom. sg.); तत्पुरुषः (घृतेन होमः)

• चतुर्मासम्: for four months
• चतुर्मासम्: Adhikarana (Duration/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चतुर् + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययार्थे (adverbial) = ‘for four months’

• कृसरम्: kṛsara (a rice/khichdi dish)
• कृसरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• निवेदयेत्: should offer (as naivedya)
• निवेदयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वेद्/विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन (3rd sg.)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Seasonal devotion: worship Keśava in Mārgaśīrṣa; maintain Cāturmāsya with homa and naivedya as offerings to the Lord.

Vedantic Theme: Upāsanā through karma offered to Īśvara; steadiness (niṣṭhā) in sādhana across time.

Application: During Cāturmāsya, keep a consistent vrata routine: daily/periodic ghee oblations (as feasible) and offer simple sattvic food (kṛsara) before eating.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual_calendar

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.137.5 (Acyuta worship in nakṣatra-vratas); Garuda Purana 1.137.7 (pāyasa feeding, pañcagavya bath, night-meal observance)

Characters & Entities

• Keśava
• Kṛttikā

FAQs

What is the importance of Cāturmāsya observance in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse links Cāturmāsya with sustained ritual discipline—regular ghṛta-homa and regulated food offerings—framing the four months as a concentrated period of dharmic worship.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by prescribing disciplined worship and offerings, it emphasizes dharma and devotional merit (puṇya) as supports that shape one’s post-death trajectory described elsewhere in the Garuḍa Purāṇa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe a consistent four-month spiritual routine (prayer, charity, simple diet), and if following a traditional practice, include lamp/fire offerings and a sattvic food offering such as kṛsara with devotion.