Shloka 18

Graha-daśā, Rāśi-adhipatya, Śakuna (Omens), and Nakṣatra-Lakṣaṇa on the Solar Diagram

Devanagari script

यस्मिन्नृक्षे वसद्भानुस्तदान्दि त्रीणि मस्तके / त्रयं वक्रे प्रदातव्यमेकैकं स्कन्धयोर्न्यसेत्

Transliteration

yasminnṛkṣe vasadbhānustadāndi trīṇi mastake / trayaṃ vakre pradātavyamekaikaṃ skandhayornyaset

Translation

على الشجرة التي يُقال إن الشمس تقيم فيها، توضع ثلاث قرابين (آṇḍي) على الرأس؛ وتُعطى ثلاثٌ أخرى عند موضع الانثناء؛ ويُجعل واحدٌ على كلٍّ من الكتفين.

Word by Word

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण (relative locative)

• ऋक्षे: in the lunar mansion (nakshatra)
• ऋक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• वसत्: dwelling/being present
• वसत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of भानुः)

• भानुः: the Sun
• भानुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• अण्डि: an egg-shaped mark/oval (aṇḍi)
• अण्डि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇḍi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (here: ‘egg/oval mark’ as item to place)

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (of अण्डि understood/plural items)

• मस्तके: on the head
• मस्तके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mastaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• त्रयम्: a group of three
• त्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘a set of three’

• वक्रे: on the curve/bend
• वक्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (on the curve/bend)

• प्रदातव्यम्: should be given/placed
• प्रदातव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra- (उपसर्ग) + √dā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय—‘should be given/placed’

• एकैकम्: one each
• एकैकम्: Visheshana (Distributive/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (reduplicative sense: one-by-one)

• स्कन्धयोः: on the two shoulders
• स्कन्धयोः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; here सप्तमी-द्विवचनार्थे (locative dual: on the shoulders)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni- (उपसर्ग) + √as/√nyas (धातु: ‘to place’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; विधि

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual order (vidhi) sanctifies space and matter; correct placement (nyāsa-like mapping) is itself efficacious.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-upāsanā through symbol and placement; disciplined action (karma-yoga in ritual form) purifies intention.

Application: Follow prescribed placement carefully in any rite/diagram; treat symbolic supports (tree/diagram) as sacred bodies—avoid casual handling.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred tree / ritual support

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.60.17-20 (Surya/tree mapping sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Bhanu)

FAQs

What is the importance of āṇḍi offerings in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats āṇḍi as a prescribed ritual offering with fixed placement (head, bend, shoulders), indicating that correct distribution is part of the intended efficacy of post-death rites.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda context, such placements are part of preta-karma/śrāddha procedures meant to support the departed’s transitional state; the verse gives the exact ritual layout rather than a metaphysical description.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

If one follows traditional śrāddha/preta-rite practice, the takeaway is precision: perform rites under competent guidance and follow the prescribed sequence and placement rather than improvising.