Shloka 18

Śālagrāma–Sudarśana-Vyūha Nirūpaṇa, Tīrtha-Saṅgraha, Samvatsara-Nāma, and Mantra-Rakṣā

Devanagari script

गुरुशुक्रौ च मन्दश्च रविचन्द्रौ यथोदितम् / रेवत्यादिमृगान्ताश्च ऋक्षाणि प्रथमा कला

Transliteration

guruśukrau ca mandaśca ravicandrau yathoditam / revatyādimṛgāntāśca ṛkṣāṇi prathamā kalā

Translation

Jupiter and Venus, and Saturn as well, together with the Sun and the Moon—just as declared—and the lunar mansions from Revatī at the beginning up to Mṛga at the end: these form the first division (kalā).

Word by Word

• गुरुशुक्रौ: Jupiter and Venus
• गुरुशुक्रौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

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

• मन्दः: Saturn (the slow one)
• मन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• रविचन्द्रौ: the Sun and the Moon
• रविचन्द्रौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• यथोदितम्: as stated/according to what is said
• यथोदितम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उदित (कृदन्त; √उद् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial: 'as stated'); उदितम् = नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (used adverbially)

• रेवत्यादिमृगान्ताः: (the lunar mansions) beginning with Revati and ending with Mriga
• रेवत्यादिमृगान्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेवती (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (आदि-अन्त-निर्देशः: 'from Revati to Mrigaśiras'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• ऋक्षाणि: lunar mansions/asterisms
• ऋक्षाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रथमा: first
• प्रथमा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• कला: digit/part (kalā)
• कला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cosmic order (ṛta) expressed as structured divisions of time and stellar markers.

Vedantic Theme: Jagat-niyati (ordered cosmos) under īśvara; time as a governing principle for embodied life.

Application: Use the stated graha–nakshatra grouping as a calendrical/astrological basis when computing divisions (kalā) for rites or prognostics.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.66 (context: kala/tithi/vara/nakshatra computations)

Characters & Entities

• Guru (Jupiter)
• Śukra (Venus)
• Manda/Śani (Saturn)
• Ravi (Sun)
• Candra (Moon)
• Revatī (Nakṣatra)
• Mṛga/Mṛgaśīrṣa (Nakṣatra)

FAQs

What is the importance of grahas and nakṣatras in Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse groups key grahas (Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn) and a sequence of nakṣatras into a defined “kalā,” indicating that time is systematized for dharmic observance and ritual scheduling.

How does this verse relate to death rites or spiritual practice?

While not describing the afterlife directly, it supports the Garuḍa Purāṇa’s broader ritual framework by defining time-divisions used to choose proper timings for saṁskāras and observances, which traditionally include funerary and śrāddha-related rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder that traditional practice emphasizes intentional timing—planning worship, vows, or family rites with awareness of calendrical cycles rather than acting carelessly or impulsively.