Shloka 31

Tithi-Vrata Vidhāna: Śikhī-vrata (Pratipadā), Tṛtīyā Devī/Śrīdhara rites, Gaṇeśa Caturthī Mantra-Nyāsa, and Nāga Pañcamī

Devanagari script

यजेद्भाद्रसिते नागानष्टौ मुक्तिं दिवं व्रजेत् / द्वारस्योभयतो लेख्याः श्रावणे तु सिते यजेत्

Transliteration

yajedbhādrasite nāgānaṣṭau muktiṃ divaṃ vrajet / dvārasyobhayato lekhyāḥ śrāvaṇe tu site yajet

Translation

Wenn man in der hellen Monatshälfte des Bhādrapada die acht Nāgas verehrt, erlangt man Befreiung und gelangt in den Himmel. Man soll sie zu beiden Seiten der Tür zeichnen lassen; und auch in der hellen Hälfte des Śrāvaṇa soll ihre Verehrung vollzogen werden.

Word by Word

• यजेत्: should worship/sacrifice
• यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भाद्रसिते: in the bright fortnight of Bhādra
• भाद्रसिते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘भाद्रस्य सिते’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालवाचक (time-locative)

• नागान्: nāgas/serpents
• नागान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (नागान् विशेषयति)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दिवम्: heaven
• दिवम्: Gati-Karma (Goal/गति-कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: should go/attain
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्वारस्य: of the door/gateway
• द्वारस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• उभयतः: on both sides
• उभयतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उभयतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: ‘on both sides’)

• लेख्याः: should be written/drawn
• लेख्याः: Kriya (Injunctive predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिख् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्यय, विधेय/gerundive ‘to be written’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भाव

• श्रावणे: in (the month of) Śrāvaṇa
• श्रावणे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रावण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कालवाचक

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/indeed)

• सिते: in the bright (fortnight)
• सिते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘शुक्लपक्षे’ इत्यर्थः

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra, typical Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Naimittika worship of Nāgas, performed at proper calendrical times, is said to yield svarga and even mukti.

Vedantic Theme: Gradation of goals (svarga → mukti); ritual devotion as a ladder when aligned with śraddhā and niyama.

Application: In Bhādrapada śukla-pakṣa (and also Śrāvaṇa śukla-pakṣa), worship the aṣṭa-nāgas; draw/inscribe their forms on both sides of the doorway as protective auspice.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic threshold / liminal space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.129.32 (Pañcamī nāga-pūjā; milk+ghee; poison removal)

Characters & Entities

• Nāgas (eight serpent deities)
• Bhādrapada (month)
• Śrāvaṇa (month)

FAQs

What is the importance of Nāga worship in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that worship of the eight Nāgas during the bright fortnight of Bhādrapada is credited with granting liberation and heavenly attainment, emphasizing Nāga-pūjā as a meritorious dharmic observance.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing post-death geography, the verse links disciplined ritual observance (pūjā performed at prescribed times) with auspicious spiritual results—mukti and svarga—showing karma through dharmic rites as a means to higher states.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe Nāga-pūjā in Śrāvaṇa/Bhādrapada śukla pakṣa, keep the entrance sanctified (symbolic depictions on both sides of the doorway), and treat the practice as a reminder to uphold dharma and reverence for protective divine forces.