Srimad Bhagavatam — Saptama Skandha, Shloka 20
Gṛhastha-Dharma: How a Householder Attains Liberation by Offering All to Vāsudeva
अयने विषुवे कुर्याद् व्यतीपाते दिनक्षये । चन्द्रादित्योपरागे च द्वादश्यां श्रवणेषु च ॥ २० ॥ तृतीयायां शुक्लपक्षे नवम्यामथ कार्तिके । चतसृष्वप्यष्टकासु हेमन्ते शिशिरे तथा ॥ २१ ॥ माघे च सितसप्तम्यां मघाराकासमागमे । राकया चानुमत्या च मासर्क्षाणि युतान्यपि ॥ २२ ॥ द्वादश्यामनुराधा स्याच्छ्रवणस्तिस्र उत्तरा: । तिसृष्वेकादशी वासु जन्मर्क्षश्रोणयोगूयुक् ॥ २३ ॥
ayane viṣuve kuryād vyatīpāte dina-kṣaye candrādityoparāge ca dvādaśyāṁ śravaṇeṣu ca
One should perform śrāddha on the saṅkrānti days of Uttarāyaṇa and Dakṣiṇāyaṇa, on the viṣuva days, in the yoga called Vyatīpāta, on the kṣaya day when three tithis converge, during lunar or solar eclipses, on dvādaśī, and when the nakṣatra is Śravaṇa. One should also perform it on Akṣaya-tṛtīyā, on the bright navamī of Kārtika, on the four aṣṭakās in the hemanta and śiśira seasons, on the bright saptamī of Māgha, when Maghā coincides with the full moon, on full or nearly full moon days (rākā and anumati) joined with the month-naming nakṣatras, on dvādaśī joined with Anurādhā, Śravaṇa or the three Uttaras, on ekādaśī joined with the three Uttaras, and finally on days joined with one’s own birth star or with Śravaṇa.
The word ayana means “path” or “going.” The six months when the sun moves toward the north are called uttarāyaṇa, or the northern path, and the six months when it moves south are called dakṣiṇāyana, or the southern path. These are mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā (8.24-25). The first day when the sun begins to move north and enter the zodiacal sign of Capricorn is called Makara-saṅkrānti, and the first day when the sun begins to move south and enter the sign of Cancer is called Karkaṭa-saṅkrānti. On these two days of the year, one should perform the śrāddha ceremony.
FAQs
This verse lists lunar and solar eclipses as spiritually significant times when one should perform prescribed pious acts such as charity and worship.
In the context of teaching gṛhastha-dharma, he highlights times traditionally considered potent for purification and merit, encouraging householders to align daily life with devotional duty.
Use such days to simplify life, increase japa and worship, give donations or service, and dedicate the day’s actions to Viṣṇu with sincerity.