Shloka 66

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा वै गार्हपत्याग्निर्दक्षणाग्निस्त्रिलोचनः / विष्णुराहवनीयाग्निः कुमारः सत्य उच्यते

Transliteration

brahmā vai gārhapatyāgnirdakṣaṇāgnistrilocanaḥ / viṣṇurāhavanīyāgniḥ kumāraḥ satya ucyate

Translation

Brahmā ist wahrlich das Gārhapatya-Feuer (Hausfeuer); der Dreiäugige (Śiva) ist das Dakṣiṇa-Feuer; Viṣṇu ist das Āhavanīya-Feuer (Opferfeuer); und Kumāra (Skanda) wird die Wahrheit genannt.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; निश्चयार्थक (indeed/certainly)

• गार्हपत्याग्निः: the Gārhapatya fire
• गार्हपत्याग्निः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गार्हपत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गार्हपत्यः अग्निः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दक्षणाग्निः: the Dakṣiṇa fire
• दक्षणाग्निः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दक्षिणः अग्निः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• त्रिलोचनः: the three-eyed one (Śiva)
• त्रिलोचनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (त्रीणि लोचनानि यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• आहवनीयाग्निः: the Āhavanīya fire
• आहवनीयाग्निः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject/Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहवनीय (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आहवनीयः अग्निः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कुमारः: Kumāra (Skanda)
• कुमारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सत्यः: truth / (one named) Satya
• सत्यः: Karma (कर्म/Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is called/is said
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Deity-immanence in ritual: Brahmā/Śiva/Viṣṇu are present as the sacred fires; truth is affirmed through Kumāra.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-brahman worship through symbols (pratīka) leading to purification; unity-in-diversity—one sacred reality approached via multiple divine forms.

Application: Perform homa with devotional recognition that the fire is not mere element but a divine presence; cultivate reverence and ethical truthfulness (satya) alongside ritual.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-cosmos (altar as microcosm)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.64-65 (homa performance and agency)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Shiva (Trilocana)
• Vishnu
• Kumara (Skanda)
• Agni (Vedic fires)

FAQs

What is the importance of the three sacred fires (Gārhapatya, Dakṣiṇa, Āhavanīya) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames the three ritual fires as divine embodiments—Brahmā, Śiva, and Viṣṇu—teaching that maintaining and honoring yajña fires is a form of honoring the cosmic order (dharma) itself.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it grounds after-death teaching in ritual dharma: correct sacrificial order and truthfulness uphold merit (puṇya), which the Garuda Purana repeatedly links to auspicious post-mortem outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat daily duties and worship as sacred—keep ritual purity where applicable, offer actions as “oblations” to the Divine, and prioritize satya (truth) as a guiding discipline.