Shloka 7

Nakṣatra-Devatā Enumeration and Muhūrta Rules for Travel, Rites, and Yogas

Devanagari script

आप्यास्त्वाषाठपूर्वास्तु उत्तरा वैश्वदेवताः / ब्राह्मश्चैवाभिजित्प्रोक्तः श्रवणा वैष्णवः स्मृतः

Transliteration

āpyāstvāṣāṭhapūrvāstu uttarā vaiśvadevatāḥ / brāhmaścaivābhijitproktaḥ śravaṇā vaiṣṇavaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Pūrvā Āṣāḍhā est dite présidée par les Āpyas (les Eaux), tandis qu’Uttarā Āṣāḍhā est gouvernée par les Viśvedevas. Abhijit est déclarée sous Brahmā, et Śravaṇā est mémorée comme relevant de Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• आप्याः: Āpyāḥ (nakṣatra-group/name)
• आप्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āpya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (नक्षत्रनाम)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• आषाढपूर्वाः: Pūrvā Āṣāḍhā
• आषाढपूर्वाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āṣāḍhā + pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (पूर्वा आषाढा)

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विशेषार्थक (particle)

• उत्तराः: Uttarā(s) (here: Uttarāṣāḍhā)
• उत्तराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uttarā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (नक्षत्रनाम: उत्तराषाढा/उत्तराफाल्गुनी इत्यादि—अत्र उत्तराषाढाः)

• वैश्वदेवताः: whose deities are the Viśvedevas
• वैश्वदेवताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśva + devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विश्वदेवाः देवता यस्याः)

• ब्राह्मः: Brahmā-related / of Brahmā
• ब्राह्मः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brāhma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (ब्रह्मसम्बन्धि)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle: indeed/only)

• अभिजित्: Abhijit (nakṣatra)
• अभिजित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhijit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (नक्षत्रनाम)

• प्रोक्तः: is declared
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + vac (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रवणा: Śravaṇā (nakṣatra)
• श्रवणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śravaṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वैष्णवः: Viṣṇu-related / of Viṣṇu
• वैष्णवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiṣṇava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (विष्णुसम्बन्धि/विष्णुदेवत्य)

• स्मृतः: is remembered/considered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even within cosmological enumeration, Vishnu is remembered as presiding—inviting devotion through the sanctification of time.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna Ishvara as the inner ruler (antaryamin) expressed through devata networks; time as a field for remembrance (smarana).

Application: On Śravaṇā nakshatra, emphasize Vishnu-nama japa, Vishnu-sahasranama, and sattvic vows; integrate devotion into daily time-awareness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial sphere (lunar mansions)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.59.1-9 (nakshatra-devata list; Śravaṇā marked Vaiṣṇava)

Characters & Entities

• Āpyas
• Viśvedevas
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Pūrvā Āṣāḍhā
• Uttarā Āṣāḍhā
• Abhijit
• Śravaṇā

FAQs

What is the importance of nakshatra presiding deities in the Garuda Purana?

This verse maps specific nakṣatras to their ruling deities, a traditional basis for selecting appropriate times and devotional orientations for rites and observances.

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

Indirectly: by identifying cosmic rulers of lunar mansions, it supports the Purāṇic view that dharma and ritual actions are aligned with a structured divine order governing time.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the nakṣatra–devatā association to frame prayers or choose timings for worship (e.g., Viṣṇu-upāsanā on Śravaṇā), while keeping ethical conduct as the primary dharmic foundation.