Shloka 1

Phala-Saptamī and Vijayā-Saptamī: Bhādrapada Worship, Feeding, Mantra, and Sevenfold Saptamī Restraints

Devanagari script

नामैकोनत्रिंशोत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः ब्रह्मोवाच / एवं भाद्रपदे मासि कार्तिकेयं प्रपूयेत् / स्नानदानादिकं सर्वमस्यामक्षय्यमुच्यते

Transliteration

nāmaikonatriṃśottaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ brahmovāca / evaṃ bhādrapade māsi kārtikeyaṃ prapūyet / snānadānādikaṃ sarvamasyāmakṣayyamucyate

Translation

Kapitel einhundertdreißig. Brahmā sprach: „So soll man im Monat Bhādrapada Kārtikeya (Skanda) in rechter Weise verehren. Alle Handlungen wie rituelles Bad und Almosengabe, die zu diesem Anlass vollzogen werden, gelten als Träger unvergänglichen, nie versiegenden Verdienstes.“

Word by Word

• nāma: (called) / name (marker)
• nāma: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/marker) — अध्यायशीर्षक-निर्देशक

• ekona-triṃśat-uttara-śata-tamaḥ: one hundred and twenty-ninth (129th)
• ekona-triṃśat-uttara-śata-tamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekona + triṃśat + uttara + śata + tama (प्रातिपदिक; संख्याशब्द-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• bhādrapade: in (the month of) Bhādrapada
• bhādrapade: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhādrapada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; मास-नाम

• māsi: in the month
• māsi: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• kārtikeyam: Kārtikeya (Skanda)
• kārtikeyam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārtikeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• prapūyet: should worship
• prapūyet: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pū (धातु) + pra (उपसर्ग)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• snāna-dāna-ādikam: bathing, giving (charity), etc.
• snāna-dāna-ādikam: Karta (Subject of passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna + dāna + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• asyām: on this (day/occasion)
• asyām: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• akṣayyam: imperishable, inexhaustible
• akṣayyam: Karmapravacanīya/Predicate complement (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣayya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ucyate: is said/called
• ucyate: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Brahmā

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla-viśeṣa (sacred timing) magnifies karma; snāna and dāna done with proper worship yield akṣaya-puṇya.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as purifier (citta-śuddhi) preparing for higher knowledge; impermanence of results contrasted with ‘akṣaya’ as scriptural praise of dharmic action.

Application: Observe a vrata-day in Bhādrapada: perform ritual bath, give charity, and worship Kārtikeya with intention for dharma and purification.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual calendar observance

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: vrata-dāna-mahātmyas (general pattern across dāna-khaṇḍa sections); Garuda Purana: sūrya-vrata/phalāhāra observances (adjacent verses 1.130.2–1.130.5)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Kārtikeya (Skanda)

FAQs

What is the importance of worshiping Kārtikeya in Bhādrapada according to the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that worship of Kārtikeya in Bhādrapada is especially meritorious, making associated observances spiritually fruitful.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s wider teaching on merit (puṇya)?

It highlights the idea of akṣaya puṇya—merit that does not diminish—by emphasizing that certain times and rites (worship, bathing, charity) are declared to yield lasting spiritual results.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

On an auspicious day in Bhādrapada, combine devotion (pūjā) with ethical action—take a purifying bath, give charity, and perform service—treating these as integrated spiritual practice.