Shloka 1

Śivarātri Vrata: Timing, Accidental Merit, and the Complete Night-Vigil Procedure

Devanagari script

नाम त्रयोविंशत्युत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः ब्रह्मोवाच / शिवरात्रिव्रतं वक्ष्ये कथां वै सर्वकामदाम् / यथा च गौरी भूतेशं पृच्छति स्म परं व्रतम्

Transliteration

nāma trayoviṃśatyuttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ brahmovāca / śivarātrivrataṃ vakṣye kathāṃ vai sarvakāmadām / yathā ca gaurī bhūteśaṃ pṛcchati sma paraṃ vratam

Translation

Brahmā said: I shall describe the observance of the Śivarātri fast—indeed a narrative that grants all desired aims—how Gaurī once asked Bhūteśa (Śiva) about that supreme vow.

Word by Word

• नाम: (entitled)
• नाम: Discourse-marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: पदपरिच्छेदक-अव्यय (marker: ‘named/entitled’)

• त्रयोविंशत्युत्तरशततमः: the one hundred and twenty-third
• त्रयोविंशत्युत्तरशततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयोविंशति (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक) + तम (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal): ‘शतस्य उत्तरः त्रयोविंशतिः’ (123rd)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: Brahmā
• ब्रह्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (वक्ता)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शिवरात्रिव्रतम्: the Śivarātri vow
• शिवरात्रिव्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘शिवस्य रात्रिः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष, ततः ‘शिवरात्रेः व्रतम्’

• वक्ष्ये: I will explain
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कथाम्: the story
• कथाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse-marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• सर्वकामदाम्: granting all desires
• सर्वकामदाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (धातु) → द (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सर्वान् कामान् ददाति’ इति (giver of all desires)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Discourse-linker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (as/how)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• गौरी: Gaurī (Pārvatī)
• गौरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भूतेशम्: Bhūteśa (Śiva)
• भूतेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भूतानाम् ईशः’ (lord of beings)

• पृच्छति: asks
• पृच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्म: (in the past)
• स्म: Discourse-marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपात (past-narrative particle)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; व्रतस्य विशेषणम्

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Brahma

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śivarātri-vrata is presented as a supreme vow whose narrative confers desired aims; sacred story (kathā) itself is efficacious.

Vedantic Theme: Śraddhā in śāstra and īśvara-kathā as a means to inner transformation; dharma supported by itihāsa-purāṇa authority.

Application: Approach vrata with both practice and listening/recitation of its kathā; frame observance within a lineage of teaching (guru/śāstra).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial court

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.124.2- (Śivarātri timing and phala); Garuda Purana (vrata-kathā sections where Brahmā narrates to establish prāmāṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Gauri (Parvati)
• Bhutesha (Shiva)
• Shivaratri

FAQs

What is the importance of Śivarātri-vrata in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse introduces Śivarātri-vrata as a ‘sarvakāmadā’ (wish-fulfilling) sacred observance and frames it as a revered narrative taught by Brahmā.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not discuss the soul’s journey directly; instead, it shifts the text into a vrata-teaching, implying that disciplined observances (vrata) are part of dharmic practice that supports spiritual aims.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Approach Mahāśivarātri with intentional discipline—fasting/observance, prayer, and ethical restraint—treating it as a ‘param vrata’ (a high spiritual commitment), not merely a festival.