Shloka 3

Tithi-Vrata Vidhāna: Śikhī-vrata (Pratipadā), Tṛtīyā Devī/Śrīdhara rites, Gaṇeśa Caturthī Mantra-Nyāsa, and Nāga Pañcamī

Devanagari script

सहोमैः पूजयेद्देवं सर्वान्कामानवाप्नुयात् / कार्तिके त सिते ऽष्टम्यां पुष्पहारी च वत्सरम्

Transliteration

sahomaiḥ pūjayeddevaṃ sarvānkāmānavāpnuyāt / kārtike ta site 'ṣṭamyāṃ puṣpahārī ca vatsaram

Translation

If one worships the Lord together with homa-offerings, one attains all desired aims. And in the bright fortnight of Kārtika, on the eighth lunar day (Aṣṭamī), one should undertake the vow of offering floral garlands for a year.

Word by Word

• सहोमैः: with (accompanied by) oblations
• सहोमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स-होम (प्रातिपदिक; समास: स + होम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘होमैः सह’ इत्यर्थे सह-समासः

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; लोट्-भावार्थः ‘पूजयेत्’ = should worship

• देवम्: the deity
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Object), एकवचन

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘कामान्’ इति विशेषणम्

• कामान्: desires
• कामान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अवाप्नुयात्: would obtain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कार्तिके: in (the month of) Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन; मास-नाम

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• सिते: in the bright (fortnight)
• सिते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘पक्षे’ (अध्याहृत) इति विशेषणम्

• अष्टम्याम्: on the eighth lunar day
• अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तिथि-नाम

• पुष्पहारी: one who carries/offers flowers
• पुष्पहारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प-हारी (प्रातिपदिक; समास: पुष्प + हारी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘पुष्पं हरति/धारयति’ इति

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वत्सरम्: for a year
• वत्सरम्: Karma (Extent/Measure as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; काल-परिमाण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Devotion reinforced by sacrificial offering (homa) and sustained vow (year-long flower-garland offering) yields desired aims (kāmān avāpnoti).

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha as the proximate cause of siddhi; karma (homa/vrata) becomes efficacious when offered as upāsanā.

Application: Observe Kārtika śukla-aṣṭamī as a vrata-start: daily/regular mālā-arpana for one year, with periodic homa or lamp/naivedya as feasible, maintaining purity and consistency.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta/Ācāra sections): recurring Kārtika-māhātmya style injunctions on vrata, dāna, and pūjā; Garuda Purana 1.129 (surrounding verses): sequence of tithi-based worship and dāna prescriptions

Characters & Entities

• Deva (the Lord)
• Homa
• Kārtika
• Śukla Pakṣa
• Aṣṭamī

FAQs

What is the importance of homa with worship in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that worship performed together with homa (fire-offerings) is especially efficacious and leads to the attainment of one’s desired aims.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing afterlife geography, the verse emphasizes right observance (pūjā and homa) and disciplined vows (vrata) as dharmic supports that shape one’s karmic outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform sincere worship with a spirit of offering (homa if appropriate), and adopt a steady devotional discipline—such as regular flower offerings—especially during Kārtika, maintaining consistency for a fixed period.