Shloka 3

Aśokāṣṭamī and Mahānavamī: Durgā Navamī-vrata, mantra-nyāsa, forms, weapons, and offerings

Devanagari script

(इत्यशोकाष्टमीव्रतम्) / ब्रह्मोवाच / शुक्लाष्टम्यामाश्वयुजे उत्तराषाढया युता / सा महानवमीत्युक्ता स्नानदानादि चाक्षयम्

Transliteration

(ityaśokāṣṭamīvratam) / brahmovāca / śuklāṣṭamyāmāśvayuje uttarāṣāḍhayā yutā / sā mahānavamītyuktā snānadānādi cākṣayam

Translation

Brahmā said: When the bright eighth lunar day in the month of Āśvayuja is conjoined with the nakṣatra Uttarāṣāḍhā, it is called Mahānavamī; on that occasion, bathing, charitable giving, and related rites become inexhaustibly fruitful.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• aśokāṣṭamī-vratam: the Aśokāṣṭamī vow
• aśokāṣṭamī-vratam: Sambandha (Title/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśoka (प्रातिपदिक) + aṣṭamī (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; शीर्षक-रूपेण

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• śuklāṣṭamyām: on the bright eighth
• śuklāṣṭamyām: Adhikarana (Time-locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuklā (प्रातिपदिक) + aṣṭamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तिथि-निर्देश

• āśvayuje: in Āśvayuja (month)
• āśvayuje: Adhikarana (Time-locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āśvayuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; मास-नाम

• uttarāṣāḍhayā: with Uttarāṣāḍhā (nakṣatra)
• uttarāṣāḍhayā: Sahakarana (Association/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttarāṣāḍhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; नक्षत्र-नाम

• yutā: joined/combined
• yutā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuta (कृदन्त, √yuj)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• sā: that (tithi)
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• mahānavamī: Mahānavamī
• mahānavamī: Pratipadya (Predicate nominal/प्रातिपाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + navamī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नामरूपेण

• iti: as
• iti: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (quotative particle)

• uktā: is called
• uktā: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ukta (कृदन्त, √vac)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP)

• snāna-dāna-ādi: bathing, giving, etc.
• snāna-dāna-ādi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक) + dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• akṣayam: imperishable (inexhaustible)
• akṣayam: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

Brahma

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Akṣaya-phala: snāna, dāna, and allied rites performed at a potent kāla yield inexhaustible results.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa efficacy within saṃsāra; disciplined action purifies and supports higher pursuits.

Application: On the specified tithi–nakṣatra yoga, prioritize bathing (snāna), charitable giving (dāna), and supportive observances with clear saṅkalpa and purity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: repeated ‘snāna-dāna akṣayam’ formulas across vrata/ācāra chapters; Garuda Purana: Mahānavamī/Durgā-related vrata sequences in adjacent verses

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Uttarashada
• Ashvayuja
• Mahānavamī

FAQs

What is the importance of Mahānavamī in the Garuda Purana?

This verse defines Mahānavamī as the conjunction of Āśvayuja śukla aṣṭamī with Uttarāṣāḍhā and states that rites like bathing and charity performed then yield inexhaustible merit.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by emphasizing akṣaya punya from snāna and dāna, it points to merit-producing practices that support dharmic progress and favorable post-death outcomes described elsewhere in the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If observing, align worship with the lunar calendar: perform a clean ritual bath, give charity, and do simple devotional acts on the specified tithi-nakṣatra combination, focusing on intention and ethical giving.