Shloka 4

Māsopavāsa Vrata for Hari (From Āśvina Ekādaśī to Viṣṇu Utthāna): Saṅkalpa, Niyamas, and Pāraṇa

Devanagari script

कार्तिकाश्विनयोर्विष्णो द्वादश्योः शुक्लयोरहम् / म्रियेयद्यन्तराले तु व्रतभङ्गो न मे भवेत्

Transliteration

kārtikāśvinayorviṣṇo dvādaśyoḥ śuklayoraham / mriyeyadyantarāle tu vratabhaṅgo na me bhavet

Translation

O Viṣṇu, on the bright-fortnight Dvādaśīs of Āśvina and Kārtika I observe this vow. Even if I were to die in the interval, may there be no breach of my vow.

Word by Word

• कार्तिकाश्विनयोः: of (the months) Kārtika and Āśvina
• कार्तिकाश्विनयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्विन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन — ‘कार्तिकस्य च आश्विनस्य च’

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• द्वादश्योः: of the two Dvādaśīs (12th lunar days)
• द्वादश्योः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन

• शुक्लयोः: of the two bright (fortnights)
• शुक्लयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन — ‘(पक्षयोः) शुक्लयोः’ भावे; ‘द्वादश्योः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणार्थे

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• म्रियेयम्: should die / if I were to die
• म्रियेयम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — ‘म्रियेत’ रूपस्य उत्तमपुरुष

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• अन्तराले: in the interval
• अन्तराले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• व्रतभङ्गः: breaking of the vow
• व्रतभङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + भङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (व्रतस्य भङ्गः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• मे: for me/of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Devotee/Supplicant addressing Lord Vishnu (vow-prayer formula within the Vishnu–Garuda teaching context)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Primacy of sincere sankalpa and continuity of vrata even under the contingency of death.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-niyati and anityatā (impermanence): act rightly without clinging to outcomes; intention and devotion carry spiritual force.

Application: Begin vows with humility about uncertainty; maintain integrity, and entrust completion to Bhagavān if life ends mid-observance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual-time (tithi boundary)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.122.2-3 (start and sankalpa); Garuda Purana 1.122.6 (completion/pāraṇa)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Kārtika (month)
• Āśvina (month)
• Dvādaśī (tithi)

FAQs

What is the importance of Āśvina–Kārtika Śukla Dvādaśī in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats the bright-fortnight Dvādaśīs of Āśvina and Kārtika as especially sacred for a Viṣṇu-vrata, emphasizing steadfast observance and devotional intent.

How does this verse relate to death and the merit of vows (vratas)?

It explicitly addresses the possibility of dying before a vow is fully completed, praying that sincere undertaking of the vrata should not be counted as “broken,” highlighting intention and devotion as central.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Undertake spiritual disciplines with clarity and sincerity, and keep them as consistently as possible; when life circumstances interrupt practice, return to it with devotion rather than guilt or abandonment.