Shloka 14

Devanagari script

माङ्गल्यमभिषेकं च मलमासे विवर्जयत् / दर्शाद्दर्शस्य चान्द्रः स्यात्त्रिंशाहोभिस्तु सावनः

Transliteration

māṅgalyamabhiṣekaṃ ca malamāse vivarjayat / darśāddarśasya cāndraḥ syāttriṃśāhobhistu sāvanaḥ

Translation

In the intercalary month (malamāsa), one should refrain from auspicious rites and from consecratory bathing (abhiṣeka). The lunar month (cāndra) is reckoned from new moon to new moon, whereas the sāvana month consists of thirty day-and-night units.

Word by Word

• माङ्गल्यम्: auspicious rite/auspiciousness
• माङ्गल्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माङ्गल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• अभिषेकम्: anointment/consecration bath
• अभिषेकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

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

• मलमासे: in the intercalary month (malamāsa)
• मलमासे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मलमास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषप्रायः (मलः इव मासः)

• विवर्जयत्: avoid (you should avoid)
• विवर्जयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+वृज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विधिलिङ्गार्थे आज्ञा—‘विवर्जय’ (avoid)

• दर्शात्: from the new-moon day (darśa)
• दर्शात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन

• दर्शस्य: of the new-moon day
• दर्शस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• चान्द्रः: lunar (month)
• चान्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चान्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (मासः इत्यस्य)

• स्यात्: would be/is to be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (potential/optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्रिंशाहोभिः: by thirty days
• त्रिंशाहोभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक) + अहन्/अहः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रिंशदहः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• सावनः: solar-day-based (sāvana)
• सावनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (मासः इत्यस्य)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla-śuddhi: auspicious rites require proper temporal eligibility; malamāsa is to be avoided for maṅgala and abhiṣeka; months are defined by lunar and civil measures.

Vedantic Theme: Order (ṛta/dharma) expressed as disciplined alignment of action with time; right timing supports purity of karma.

Application: Avoid scheduling weddings/major consecrations and abhiṣeka in intercalary month; use correct month definitions when planning rites (cāndra vs sāvana).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: calendar/astronomical frame (jyotiṣa) applied to ritual venues

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.128 (surrounding verses on tithi/māsa reckoning and ritual suitability)

FAQs

What is the importance of Malamasa (Adhika Masa) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats Malamasa as unsuitable for certain auspicious ceremonies like māṅgalya rites and abhiṣeka, emphasizing correct ritual timing as part of dharma.

How does this verse explain lunar month vs solar (sāvana) month?

It defines the lunar month as running from one new moon (darśa) to the next, while the sāvana month is counted as thirty day-night units.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When planning major auspicious rites, consult a traditional pañcāṅga: avoid scheduling māṅgalya/abhiṣeka-type ceremonies in Malamasa and use the correct month-count (lunar vs day-count) for observances.