Shloka 54

Devanagari script

खरोष्ट्रयानहस्त्यश्वनौवृक्षगिरिरोहणे / सप्तत्रिंशदनध्यायानेतांस्तात्कालिकान्विदुः

Transliteration

kharoṣṭrayānahastyaśvanauvṛkṣagirirohaṇe / saptatriṃśadanadhyāyānetāṃstātkālikānviduḥ

Translation

Riding a donkey or camel, mounting an elephant or horse, traveling by boat, climbing trees, and ascending mountains—these are known as thirty-seven temporary occasions of anadhyāya, when Vedic study is to be suspended at that time.

Word by Word

• खर-उष्ट्र-यान-हस्ति-अश्व-नौ-वृक्ष-गिरि-रोहणे: while mounting a donkey, camel, vehicle, elephant, horse, boat, tree, or mountain
• खर-उष्ट्र-यान-हस्ति-अश्व-नौ-वृक्ष-गिरि-रोहणे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक) + उष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक) + यान (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नौ (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + रोहण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः—खरादिषु आरोहणम्/रोहणम् (mounting/ascending on donkey, camel, vehicle, elephant, horse, boat, tree, mountain)

• सप्त-त्रिंशत्-अनध्यायान्: thirty-seven (kinds of) non-study periods
• सप्त-त्रिंशत्-अनध्यायान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + त्रिंशत् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + अनध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः—सप्तत्रिंशत् (37) संख्या-पूर्वकः; ‘अनध्याय’ = अध्ययन-निषेधकालः (days of non-study)

• एतान्: these
• एतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• तात्-कालिकान्: temporary; occurring at that time
• तात्-कालिकान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कालिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—तत्काले भवाः (occurring at that time); विशेषणम् (qualifies ‘अनध्यायान्/एतान्’)

• विदुः: they know; they declare
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमा-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla-deśa-avasthā regulate Vedic study; travel and physically precarious acts create temporary ineligibility (anadhyāya).

Vedantic Theme: Discipline and right timing; prioritizing dharma through orderly life-rhythm and mindful boundaries.

Application: Do not recite/study Veda while riding, boating, climbing, or in risky transit; schedule study for stable, clean, quiet settings.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: routes (land/river) and elevations (trees/mountains)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96 anadhyāya catalogue culminating in a count (saptatriṃśat)

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Anadhyaya

FAQs

What is the importance of anadhyaya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames anadhyaya as a dharmic discipline: certain actions like travel or climbing create a temporary condition in which Vedic recitation is traditionally paused to preserve ritual propriety and attentiveness.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey described in the Garuda Purana?

While not describing the post-death path directly, it supports the broader Preta Kanda theme that disciplined conduct and purity rules shape one’s religious life, which the text links to karmic outcomes and afterlife experience.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain mindful boundaries for sacred study: choose appropriate times and settings for chanting/recitation, avoiding distracted or unsuitable circumstances such as active travel or physically risky activity.