Shloka 5

Akhaṇḍa-Dvādaśī Vrata: Mārgaśīrṣa Fast, Viṣṇu-Pūjā, and Four-Month Dāna

Devanagari script

सक्तुपात्राणि चैत्रादौ श्रावणादौ घृतान्वितान् / व्रतकृद्वतपूर्णस्तु स्त्रीपुत्रस्वर्गभाग्भवेत्

Transliteration

saktupātrāṇi caitrādau śrāvaṇādau ghṛtānvitān / vratakṛdvatapūrṇastu strīputrasvargabhāgbhavet

Translation

Whoever observes the vow properly and brings it to completion—offering bowls of saktu (parched grain) in the months beginning with Caitra, and offerings accompanied by ghee in the months beginning with Śrāvaṇa—gains a share of heaven and is blessed with wife and sons.

Word by Word

• सक्तु: barley-flour
• सक्तु: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सक्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (stem form)

• पात्राणि: vessels, bowls
• पात्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• चैत्रादौ: starting with (the month) Chaitra
• चैत्रादौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चैत्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (चैत्रः आदिः यस्मिन्/यत्र)

• श्रावणादौ: starting with (the month) Shravana
• श्रावणादौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रावण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (श्रावणः आदिः)

• घृत: ghee
• घृत: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (stem form)

• अन्वितान्: accompanied with, mixed with
• अन्वितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; पात्राणि इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (intended: घृतान्वितानि; text has masc. -ān)

• व्रत: vow
• व्रत: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (stem form)

• कृत्: performer
• कृत्: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + कृत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (agent noun: doer); समासपूर्वपद

• व्रत: vow
• व्रत: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (stem form)

• पूर्णः: complete, fulfilled
• पूर्णः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपदस्य विशेषणम्

• तु: indeed
• तु: Discourse (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (निपात)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• स्त्री: wife/woman
• स्त्री: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (stem form)

• पुत्र: son/child
• पुत्र: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (stem form)

• स्वर्ग: heaven
• स्वर्ग: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (stem form)

• भाग्: a sharer/partaker
• भाग्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे (one who has a share)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual action performed with completeness (vrata-pūrṇatā) yields specific fruits: svarga and household prosperity (wife/sons).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa causality under divine order (ṛta/dharma): properly performed acts bear corresponding results; worldly fruits remain within saṃsāra.

Application: If undertaking vrata, follow timing and offering details carefully; treat completion (pūrṇa) and consistency as essential, not optional.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana vrata-phala passages in the same adhyāya (1.118); Transition to detailed vrata procedure in 1.119 (Agastya-arghya-vrata)

FAQs

What is the importance of saktu-dāna (offering parched grain) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents saktu-dāna, performed in a regulated monthly vrata cycle, as a merit-producing charity that supports both worldly welfare (family blessings) and posthumous reward (svarga).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in relation to rituals?

Rather than detailing the after-death journey directly, it links disciplined vow-completion and prescribed offerings to the accumulation of punya, which is said to yield a heavenly share (svarga-bhāga).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Undertake a manageable vow with clear rules, complete it without break, and pair it with sincere food-charity (annadāna/saktu-like offerings), emphasizing consistency and completion over mere intention.