Shloka 12

Devanagari script

रक्तमङ्गारकं चैव आग्नेये पूजयेद्धर / शनैश्चरं कृष्णवर्णं नैरृत्यां दिशि पूजयेत्

Transliteration

raktamaṅgārakaṃ caiva āgneye pūjayeddhara / śanaiścaraṃ kṛṣṇavarṇaṃ nairṛtyāṃ diśi pūjayet

Translation

In the south‑east, Agni’s quarter, one should worship red‑hued Maṅgāraka (Mars). In the south‑west, Nairṛti’s quarter, one should worship Śanaiścara (Saturn), dark and black in color.

Word by Word

• रक्तम्: red
• रक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• अङ्गारकम्: Aṅgāraka (Mars)
• अङ्गारकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• आग्नेये: in the south-east
• आग्नेये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; दिक्शब्दः (in the south-east)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धर: O Dhara
• धर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• शनैश्चरम्: Śanaiścara (Saturn)
• शनैश्चरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शनैश्चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• कृष्णवर्णम्: black-colored
• कृष्णवर्णम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (कृष्णः वर्णः)

• नैरृत्याम्: in the south-west
• नैरृत्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; दिक्शब्दः (in the south-west)

• दिशि: in the direction
• दिशि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma’s forces manifest as grahas with distinct qualities; worship is a disciplined engagement to channel heat (Maṅgala) and endure limitation (Śani) with steadiness.

Vedantic Theme: Acceptance and purification of prārabdha through niyata upāsanā; tapas-like endurance as a purifier of mind.

Application: Balance initiative (Mars) with patience and responsibility (Saturn): act decisively but within ethical limits; use structured routines to transform agitation into perseverance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: directional yantra placement for graha worship

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.39.10–11 (other grahas and directions)

Characters & Entities

• Maṅgāraka (Mars)
• Śanaiścara (Saturn)
• Agni (directional deity)
• Nairṛti (directional deity)

FAQs

What is the importance of worshipping Mars and Saturn by direction in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents a dik-based (directional) ritual order: Maṅgala is honored in Agni’s quarter (south-east) and Śani in Nairṛti’s quarter (south-west), aligning graha-worship with traditional directional deities.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

This specific verse is ritual-technical rather than an afterlife passage; it supports dhārmic order through prescribed worship, which the text elsewhere links to reducing afflictions and maintaining auspicious conditions for life and post-death rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If performing Navagraha/dik-pūjā, place Maṅgala worship in the south-east and Śani worship in the south-west, keeping the practice orderly and consistent with traditional direction-based ritual mapping.