Shloka 33

Devanagari script

बुधवारेण प्रस्थानं दूरतः परिवर्जयेत् / मेषे कर्कटके षष्ठी कन्यायां मिथुने ऽष्टमी

Transliteration

budhavāreṇa prasthānaṃ dūrataḥ parivarjayet / meṣe karkaṭake ṣaṣṭhī kanyāyāṃ mithune 'ṣṭamī

Translation

En miércoles debe evitarse emprender viaje, manteniéndose muy lejos de tal partida. En Aries y Cáncer debe evitarse la sexta tithi (ṣaṣṭhī); en Virgo y Géminis debe evitarse la octava tithi (aṣṭamī).

Word by Word

• बुधवारेण: on Wednesday
• बुधवारेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक) + वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Mercury's day)

• प्रस्थानम्: departure/journey
• प्रस्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दूरतः: from afar / completely
• दूरतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूरतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• परिवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• परिवर्जयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मेषे: in Aries
• मेषे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कर्कटके: in Cancer
• कर्कटके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्कटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• षष्ठी: the sixth (tithi)
• षष्ठी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कन्यायाम्: in Virgo
• कन्यायाम्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मिथुने: in Gemini
• मिथुने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अष्टमी: the eighth (tithi)
• अष्टमी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Muhūrta for travel: avoid long-distance departure on Wednesday; avoid Ṣaṣṭhī in Meṣa/Karkaṭaka and Aṣṭamī in Kanyā/Mithuna (rāśi-conditioned doṣa).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga pragmatics: act skillfully within worldly constraints; dharma includes foresight and non-negligence (apramāda).

Application: For major travel, avoid Wednesday starts; consult rāśi–tithi combinations for additional avoidance rules when planning departures.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: route/threshold

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.59 (travel/muhūrta and rāśi-tithi doṣa section)

Characters & Entities

• Budhavāra (Wednesday)
• Mesha (Aries)
• Karkaṭaka (Cancer)
• Kanyā (Virgo)
• Mithuna (Gemini)
• Ṣaṣṭhī (6th tithi)
• Aṣṭamī (8th tithi)

FAQs

What is the importance of choosing the right time for travel in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats travel as an action that should align with dharma and auspicious timing, warning that certain weekdays and tithis are specifically to be avoided to reduce obstacles and misfortune.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the soul’s post-death journey here; instead, it gives practical dharmic guidance on timing (vāra, tithi, rāśi) for worldly journeys as part of right conduct.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If you follow traditional muhūrta practice, avoid starting major travel on Wednesday, and be cautious about starting travel on Ṣaṣṭhī or Aṣṭamī when the Moon is in the specified signs (Aries/Cancer and Virgo/Gemini).