Shloka 1

Graha-yajña-vidhi

Procedure for the Planetary Sacrifice

Devanagari script

नाम शततमो ऽध्यायः याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच / श्रीकामः शान्तिकामो वा ग्रहदृष्ट्यभिचारवान् / ग्रहयञ्ज्ञं समं कुर्याद्गहाश्चैते बुधैः स्मृताः

Transliteration

nāma śatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ yājñavalkya uvāca / śrīkāmaḥ śāntikāmo vā grahadṛṣṭyabhicāravān / grahayañjñaṃ samaṃ kuryādgahāścaite budhaiḥ smṛtāḥ

Translation

Capítulo ciento uno. Dijo Yājñavalkya: Ya sea que uno anhele prosperidad, o busque paz, o esté afligido por influencias nocivas de los grahas y por hechicería (abhicāra), debe realizar debidamente el sacrificio planetario, el graha-yajña. Estos son los planetas tal como los recuerdan los sabios.

Word by Word

• nāma: (entitled)
• nāma: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशक/उपपद (particle: ‘named/called’)

• śatatamaḥ: hundredth
• śatatamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śatatama (प्रातिपदिक) [śata + -tama]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक विशेषण (ordinal)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• yājñavalkyaḥ: Yājñavalkya
• yājñavalkyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājñavalkya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• śrī: prosperity/fortune
• śrī: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, समासस्थ-पूर्वपद (in compound)

• kāmaḥ: one who desires prosperity
• kāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: श्री-कामः (तत्पुरुष: ‘desiring prosperity’)

• śānti: peace
• śānti: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, समासस्थ-पूर्वपद (in compound)

• kāmaḥ: one who desires peace
• kāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: शान्ति-कामः (तत्पुरुष: ‘desiring peace’)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle: ‘or’)

• graha: planet
• graha: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: graha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासस्थ-पूर्वपद (in compound)

• dṛṣṭi: aspect/sight
• dṛṣṭi: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, समासस्थ-मध्यपद (in compound)

• abhicāravān: afflicted by (planetary) malefic influence/sorcery
• abhicāravān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhicāra-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: ग्रह-दृष्टि-अभिचार-वान् (तत्पुरुष: ‘having (harmful) sorcery due to planetary aspect’)

• graha: planet
• graha: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: graha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासस्थ-पूर्वपद (in compound)

• yañjñam: planetary sacrifice/rite
• yañjñam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yañjña (प्रातिपदिक) [= yajña]
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: ग्रह-यज्ञम् (तत्पुरुष: ‘sacrifice for the planets’)

• samam: properly/equally
• samam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as adverbial accusative)

• kuryāt: should perform
• kuryāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• grahāḥ: planets
• grahāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: graha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• ete: these
• ete: Viśeṣaṇa (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• budhaiḥ: by the wise
• budhaiḥ: Karaṇa/Agent (By whom/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• smṛtāḥ: are remembered/considered
• smṛtāḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

Speaker

Yājñavalkya

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Shanti-karma through graha-yajna to mitigate perceived planetary afflictions and hostile rites, aligning life with auspicious order.

Vedantic Theme: Pragmatic karma-kanda: using prescribed rites to restore harmony; implicitly encourages sattvic discipline and faith in dharmic means over fear.

Application: When facing instability, perform (or sponsor) a properly guided navagraha/graha-yajna with ethical conduct, charity, and non-harm as the foundation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: yajna-vedi / ritual enclosure

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.101.2 (navagraha list); Garuda Purana 1.101.3-4 (materials/colors for ritual classification)

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Grahāḥ (Navagraha/planets)

FAQs

What is the importance of Graha-yajña in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames graha-yajña as a prescribed pacificatory rite for those seeking prosperity (śrī), peace (śānti), or relief from planetary affliction and hostile influences.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s post-death journey; instead, it focuses on preventive ritual measures in embodied life to restore harmony when planetary forces are adverse.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When facing sustained obstacles or anxiety attributed to “bad times,” this verse recommends structured, dharmic remedial action—performing sanctioned rites (or their ethical equivalents like prayer, charity, and disciplined conduct) aimed at peace and stability.