Shloka 46

Praise of Vṛṣotsarga (Bull-release), Worthy Dāna, and the Procedure for Kṣayāha & Ūrdhva-daihika Rites

Devanagari script

स सिद्धिं समवाप्नोति यथा ते ब्रह्मचारिणः / नित्यं नैमित्तिकं कुर्याद्यावज्जीवति मानवः

Transliteration

sa siddhiṃ samavāpnoti yathā te brahmacāriṇaḥ / nityaṃ naimittikaṃ kuryādyāvajjīvati mānavaḥ

Translation

Er erlangt dieselbe geistige Vollendung wie die disziplinierten Brahmacārins. Darum soll der Mensch, solange er lebt, fortwährend die vorgeschriebenen Riten vollziehen: die täglichen (nitya) und die gelegentlichen (naimittika).

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सिद्धिम्: success/accomplishment
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समवाप्नोति: attains
• समवाप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Comparative/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकार-अव्यय (comparative: as/just as)

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मचारिणः: brahmacārins (celibate students)
• ब्रह्मचारिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• नित्यम्: daily/always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb: always/regularly); रूपतः नपुंसकलिङ्ग-द्वितीया एकवचनवत् अव्ययीभूत-प्रयोगः

• नैमित्तिकम्: occasional (rite)
• नैमित्तिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण (occasional rite)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-अव्यय (until/as long as)

• जीवति: lives
• जीवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• मानवः: a man/human
• मानवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Regular performance of obligatory rites yields siddhi comparable to that of disciplined brahmacārins; continuity of duty is itself a purifier.

Vedantic Theme: Citta-śuddhi through karma-yoga (niyata-karma); steadiness (niṣṭhā) as preparation for higher knowledge.

Application: Maintain daily worship, sandhyā, agnihotra/pujā as applicable, and perform occasional rites (eclipses, saṃskāras, śrāddha timings) without negligence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated insistence that nitya/naimittika rites support śrāddha efficacy and protect from preta-related distress; Garuda Purana: praise of brahmacarya and disciplined conduct as merit-multipliers

Characters & Entities

• Brahmacarins

FAQs

What is the importance of nitya and naimittika karmas in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that consistent performance of daily and occasion-based prescribed rites leads to spiritual accomplishment comparable to that of disciplined brahmacārins.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s teachings on life and afterlife preparation?

By emphasizing lifelong adherence to prescribed duties, it frames dharmic practice as the foundation that supports one’s spiritual readiness for death and post-death consequences described elsewhere in the Preta Kanda.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Maintain steady daily spiritual discipline (prayer, mantra, basic duties) and observe occasional rites tied to time or circumstance, treating consistency as the core of ethical and spiritual life.