Shloka 4

Cāturmāsya Observances—Commencement, Austerities, and Fruits

Devanagari script

एवमभ्यर्च्य गृह्णीयाद्व्रतार्चनजपादिकम् / सर्वाघं च क्षयं याति चिकीर्षेद्यो हरेर्व्रतम्

Transliteration

evamabhyarcya gṛhṇīyādvratārcanajapādikam / sarvāghaṃ ca kṣayaṃ yāti cikīrṣedyo harervratam

Translation

Nachdem man so verehrt hat, soll man die Übungen des Gelübdes aufnehmen—Verehrung, Japa (Mantra-Wiederholung) und verwandte Disziplinen. Wer das Gelübde Haris vollziehen will, lässt dadurch alle Sünde vergehen.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (Manner marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक/adverb)

• abhyarcya: having worshipped
• abhyarcya: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arc (धातु) उपसर्ग: अभि-
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव/gerund (absolutive)

• gṛhṇīyāt: one should take/undertake
• gṛhṇīyāt: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• vrata-arcana-japa-ādikam: vow, worship, recitation, etc.
• vrata-arcana-japa-ādikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + arcana (प्रातिपदिक) + japa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

• sarva-agham: all sin
• sarva-agham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + agha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थक/conjunction)

• kṣayam: destruction / end
• kṣayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मप्रवचनीयार्थ (result state)

• yāti: goes / comes to
• yāti: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• cikīrṣet: would wish to do
• cikīrṣet: Kriya (Relative clause verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) (desiderative: cikīrṣ-)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; सन्नन्त (desiderative)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• hareḥ: of Hari
• hareḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• vratam: vow
• vratam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual-devotional action (arcana, japa, vrata) undertaken properly leads to pāpa-kṣaya.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation: disciplined action offered to Hari purifies and prepares for higher knowledge/devotion.

Application: Combine worship (arcana), mantra repetition (japa), and supportive disciplines as a coherent vow; keep regularity and purity of conduct during the observance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (home/temple)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: sections enumerating limbs of vrata—snāna, ācamana, arcana, japa, niyama—and their fruits; Garuda Purana: pāpa-kṣaya statements tied to Viṣṇu worship and nāma-japa

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Hari-vrata in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Hari’s vow as a disciplined practice—worship, mantra-japa, and allied observances—that leads to the destruction of sin (pāpa-kṣaya).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It emphasizes purification through devotion and disciplined practice; reducing sin is presented as a key support for spiritual progress and a safer post-death trajectory in Garuda Purana’s broader framework.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt a consistent routine of Vishnu worship (arcana) and daily mantra repetition (japa) as a vowed discipline, treating it as ethical-spiritual training rather than a one-time ritual.