Shloka 2

Akhaṇḍa-Dvādaśī Vrata: Mārgaśīrṣa Fast, Viṣṇu-Pūjā, and Four-Month Dāna

Devanagari script

द्वादश्यां पूजये द्विष्णुं दद्यान्मासचतुष्टयम् / पञ्चव्रीहियुतं पात्रं विप्रायेदमुदाहरेत्

Transliteration

dvādaśyāṃ pūjaye dviṣṇuṃ dadyānmāsacatuṣṭayam / pañcavrīhiyutaṃ pātraṃ viprāyedamudāharet

Translation

દ્વાદશીના દિવસે ભગવાન વિષ્ણુની પૂજા કરીને ચાર માસ સુધી નિયમિત દાન આપવું। પંચવ્રીહિયુક્ત પાત્ર બ્રાહ્મણને દાન આપી આ મંત્રવચન ઉચ્ચારવું।

Word by Word

• dvādaśyām: on the Dvādaśī (12th lunar day)
• dvādaśyām: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• pūjaye: should worship
• pūjaye: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative) / लट् (present) रूपसाम्य; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; विध्यर्थे ‘you should worship’

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• māsa-catuṣṭayam: a set of four months (duration/measure)
• māsa-catuṣṭayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदिक) + catuṣṭaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मासानां चतुष्टयम् = a set of four months)

• pañca-vrīhi-yutam: accompanied with five (measures of) rice
• pañca-vrīhi-yutam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + vrīhi (प्रातिपदिक) + yuta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चव्रीहिभिः युतम् = accompanied with five (measures of) rice)

• pātram: a vessel
• pātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• viprāya: to a Brahmin
• viprāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• udāharet: should recite/declare
• udāharet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-ā-√hṛ (हृ धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should utter/recite/declare’

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in discourse to Garuḍa/Vinātā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Worship Viṣṇu on Dvādaśī and sustain the vow through prescribed dāna—offering a vessel with five grains to a brāhmaṇa with a recited formula.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti supported by karma-yoga: devotion expressed as worship plus sustained giving; purification through generosity and steadiness (dhṛti).

Application: Pair worship with consistent charity over a defined period; give staple foods (grains) as high-impact dāna, accompanied by respectful speech/mantra.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: ritual calendar and household/temple giving space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.118.1 (Akhaṇḍa-Dvādaśī vrata context); Garuda Purana 1.117.14-15 (dāna and feeding as vrata completion patterns)

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Brāhmaṇa (vipra)

FAQs

What is the importance of Dvādaśī worship in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Dvādaśī as a dedicated time for Viṣṇu-pūjā, paired with disciplined giving, presenting it as a dharmic observance that strengthens devotion and merit through ritual charity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it emphasizes dharma through vrata and dāna. In the Garuḍa Purāṇa’s broader framework, such meritorious acts support auspicious post-death outcomes by cultivating punya and right conduct.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe Dvādaśī with Viṣṇu worship and practice intentional charity—especially food/grains given respectfully to learned or needy recipients—making generosity a sustained discipline rather than a one-time act.