Shloka 15

Vrata-Niyama: Fasting Purity, Brahmakūrcha, Naktāhāra, and Kāla-Nirṇaya

Ritual Timing

Devanagari script

रविसंक्रमणात्सौरो नाक्षत्रः सप्तविंशतिः / सौरो मासो विवाहाय यज्ञादौ सावनस्थितिः

Transliteration

ravisaṃkramaṇātsauro nākṣatraḥ saptaviṃśatiḥ / sauro māso vivāhāya yajñādau sāvanasthitiḥ

Translation

सूर्य के संक्रान्ति-गमन से सौर मास होता है; नाक्षत्र गणना सत्ताईस की है। विवाह में सौर मास ग्रहण करें, और यज्ञ आदि में सावन-मान (दिन-रात के आधार) से गणना रखें।

Word by Word

• रविसंक्रमणात्: from the sun’s transit (saṅkrānti)
• रविसंक्रमणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक) + संक्रमण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रवेः संक्रमणम्)

• सौरः: solar (month)
• सौरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (मासः इत्यस्य)

• नाक्षत्रः: sidereal/stellar (nakṣatra-based)
• नाक्षत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (मासः इत्यस्य)

• सप्तविंशतिः: twenty-seven
• सप्तविंशतिः: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तविंशति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; संख्या (27)

• सौरः: solar
• सौरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (मासः)

• मासः: month
• मासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• विवाहाय: for marriage
• विवाहाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (dative of purpose)

• यज्ञादौ: in sacrifices and the like
• यज्ञादौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावप्राय/तत्पुरुषः (यज्ञे आदौ/यज्ञादिषु)

• सावनस्थितिः: (there is) sāvana reckoning/position
• सावनस्थितिः: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावन (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सावना स्थिति:)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Different rites require different time standards: solar month for vivāha; sāvana (civil day count) for yajña and allied rites; nakṣatra count recognized as 27.

Vedantic Theme: Harmony with cosmic order (ṛta): aligning human action with solar/lunar rhythms as disciplined karma.

Application: When fixing dates: prioritize solar-month conventions for marriage; for yajñas/vratas follow sāvana day-count as prescribed by tradition/pañcāṅga.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial measurement applied to human rites

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.128 (tithi/māsa/nakṣatra determinations and ritual eligibility in adjacent verses)

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Sun)
• Nakshatras
• Yajna

FAQs

What is the importance of solar (saura) time-reckoning in the Garuda Purana?

This verse prioritizes the solar month for vivāha (marriage), indicating that certain saṁskāras should follow the Sun-based calendar for correct ritual timing.

How does this verse explain different calendrical measures (saura, nakshatra, savana)?

It distinguishes three standards: solar transitions for the saura month, a 27-nakṣatra framework for nakṣatra reckoning, and sāvana (civil-day) counting for yajñas and related rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When planning ceremonies, align marriages primarily with solar-month considerations, and ensure yajña-style rituals follow the day-count conventions used in traditional pañcāṅga practice.