Shloka 6

Devanagari script

चैत्रादौ कारयेत्पूजां माल्यैश्च दमनोद्भवैः / अशोकाख्याष्टमीप्रोक्ता वीराख्या नवमीतथा

Transliteration

caitrādau kārayetpūjāṃ mālyaiśca damanodbhavaiḥ / aśokākhyāṣṭamīproktā vīrākhyā navamītathā

Translation

Zu Beginn des Monats Caitra soll man die Verehrung vollziehen lassen, mit Girlanden aus Damanā-Blüten. Der achte Mondtag heißt Aśokā, und ebenso heißt der neunte Vīrā.

Word by Word

• चैत्रादौ: at the beginning of Caitra
• चैत्रादौ: अधिकरण (Location/Time locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘चैत्र’ इत्यस्य आदौ = at the beginning of Caitra

• कारयेत्: should have (it) performed
• कारयेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोगः = should cause to be done / should have performed

• पूजाम्: worship
• पूजाम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• माल्यैः: with garlands
• माल्यैः: करण (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दमनोद्भवैः: made from damana-plant
• दमनोद्भवैः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘माल्यैः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दमन + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; ‘दमन-उद्भव’ = arising from/produced by damana (a plant)

• अशोकाख्या: called ‘Aśoka’
• अशोकाख्या: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘अष्टमी’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशोक + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘अशोक-आख्या’ = named ‘Aśoka’

• अष्टमी: the eighth lunar day (Aṣṭamī)
• अष्टमी: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तिथिनाम

• प्रोक्ता: is declared
• प्रोक्ता: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• वीराख्या: called ‘Vīra’
• वीराख्या: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘नवमी’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘वीर-आख्या’ = named ‘Vīra’

• नवमी: the ninth lunar day (Navamī)
• नवमी: कर्ता/विषय (Subject/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तिथिनाम

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/अन्वय (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/particle) = likewise/also

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla-śuddhi and ṛtu-anukūla upāsanā: aligning worship with sacred time and pure offerings.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-ārādhanā through niyata-kāla (disciplined time) as a purifier of antaḥkaraṇa, supporting gradual sādhana.

Application: Observe Caitra-start worship with simple floral offerings; keep a vrata calendar noting Aśokā-aṣṭamī and Vīrā-navamī for focused pūjā and restraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-time (lunar month)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.135 (vrata/tithi-nāma section continuing into 1.136 Śravaṇa-dvādaśī)

Characters & Entities

• Caitra
• Damana
• Aśokā (Aṣṭamī)
• Vīrā (Navamī)

FAQs

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

This verse recommends beginning Caitra with pūjā using damana-flower garlands, presenting it as an auspicious, dharmic seasonal observance.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly discuss the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it focuses on ritual timing (tithi names) and devotional practice, which the text treats as supportive of dharma and spiritual merit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe early Caitra with simple worship and seasonal offerings (such as appropriate flowers), and note aṣṭamī/navamī tithis for vrata or devotional commitments.