Shloka 9

Vrata-Niyama: Fasting Purity, Brahmakūrcha, Naktāhāra, and Kāla-Nirṇaya

Ritual Timing

Devanagari script

देवपूजाग्निहवने सन्तोषोस्तेयमेव च / सर्वव्रतेष्वयं धर्मः सामान्यो दशधास्मृतः

Transliteration

devapūjāgnihavane santoṣosteyameva ca / sarvavrateṣvayaṃ dharmaḥ sāmānyo daśadhāsmṛtaḥ

Translation

Götterverehrung und Opfergaben in das heilige Feuer, Genügsamkeit und Nicht-Stehlen — dies ist das Dharma, als allgemeiner zehnfacher Kodex für alle Gelübde überliefert.

Word by Word

• देवपूजाग्निहवने: in deity-worship and fire-offering
• देवपूजाग्निहवने: Adhikarana (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवपूजा-अग्निहवन (प्रातिपदिक: देव + पूजा + अग्नि + हवन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सन्तोषः: contentment
• सन्तोषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्तोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अस्तेयम्: non-stealing
• अस्तेयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारणार्थ (emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वव्रतेषु: in all vows
• सर्वव्रतेषु: Adhikarana (Scope/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वव्रत (प्रातिपदिक: सर्व + व्रत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshya (Correlative/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• धर्मः: dharma/duty
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• सामान्यः: common/general
• सामान्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सामान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) धर्मस्य

• दशधा: tenfold
• दशधा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दशधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner: 'in ten ways')

• स्मृतः: is remembered/said
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (as 'is remembered')

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: All vratas share a common dharma: deva-pūjā, agni-havana, santoṣa, and asteya (as part of a remembered tenfold standard).

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-sthāpana: ritual devotion and ethical restraint harmonize action; contentment reduces rāga-dveṣa, supporting inner steadiness.

Application: Regardless of specific vow: maintain daily worship, offerings (as appropriate), cultivate contentment, and avoid taking what is not given; treat these as non-negotiable foundations.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.128 (vrata-vidhi and prāyaścitta context; ‘daśadhā smṛtaḥ’ points to a broader list in the section/tradition)

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Agni

FAQs

What is the importance of universal dharma (sāmānya-dharma) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that certain duties—like deva-worship, fire-offerings, contentment, and non-stealing—are not optional add-ons but a shared ethical-ritual foundation for every vow and religious observance.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana’s teaching?

By emphasizing universal discipline (dharma) underlying all vratas, it implies that the soul’s welfare is supported not only by specialized rites but by consistent ethical conduct and proper worship that shape one’s karmic trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain regular worship (as per one’s tradition), uphold sacred-duty rituals where applicable, cultivate contentment to reduce greed-driven actions, and practice asteya—honesty and non-appropriation—in daily life.