Shloka 6

Vānaprastha-Dharma: Forest Discipline, Vows, Seasonal Tapas, and Equanimity

Devanagari script

चान्द्रायणी स्वपेद्भूमौ कर्म कुर्यात्फलादिना / ग्रीष्मे पञ्चाग्निमध्यस्थो वर्षासु स्थण्डिलेशयः

Transliteration

cāndrāyaṇī svapedbhūmau karma kuryātphalādinā / grīṣme pañcāgnimadhyastho varṣāsu sthaṇḍileśayaḥ

Translation

Dengan menjalankan vrata Cāndrāyaṇa, ia hendaknya tidur di tanah dan melaksanakan kewajiban ritusnya sambil hidup dari buah-buahan dan sejenisnya. Pada musim panas ia bertapa di tengah lima api, dan pada musim hujan ia berbaring di atas sthāṇḍila, altar tanah yang polos.

Word by Word

• चान्द्रायणी: (one observing) the Cāndrāyaṇa vow
• चान्द्रायणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक) + ङीप् (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular (name of a vow/observance)

• स्वपेत्: should sleep
• स्वपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Optative, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Feminine, Locative (7th), Singular

• कर्म: ritual act, duty
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Optative, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• फल: fruit
• फल: Sambandha (Instrumental-relation within compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — neuter stem used as compound member

• आदि: and the like
• आदि: Sambandha (Etc./सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: समासान्त-प्रयोगे अव्ययीभावार्थक ‘आदि’ — indeclinable-like ‘etc.’ used in compound

• फलादिना: by fruits and the like
• फलादिना: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल + आदि (समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (फल-आदि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental (3rd) Singular

• ग्रीष्मे: in summer
• ग्रीष्मे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier within compound/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — numeral stem used as compound member

• अग्नि: fire
• अग्नि: Sambandha (Genitive-relation within compound/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — masculine stem used as compound member

• मध्य: middle
• मध्य: Adhikarana (Location within compound/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग) — neuter stem used as compound member

• स्थ: standing, situated
• स्थ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त ‘स्थ’ (स्थित), समासाङ्ग — kridanta ‘standing/being in’ used as compound member

• पञ्चाग्निमध्यस्थः: standing amid five fires
• पञ्चाग्निमध्यस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + अग्नि + मध्य + स्थ (समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चाग्नीनां मध्ये स्थः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वर्षासु: in the rainy season(s)
• वर्षासु: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन — Feminine, Locative (7th), Plural

• स्थण्डिले: on bare ground
• स्थण्डिले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थण्डिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• शयः: lying/sleeping
• शयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शी (धातु) + अच् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: अच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (कर्तरि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — agent adjective ‘one who lies/sleeps’, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• स्थण्डिलेशयः: one who sleeps on bare ground
• स्थण्डिलेशयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थण्डिले + शय (समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्थण्डिले शयः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (teaching Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cāndrāyaṇa and seasonal tapas: regulated vow, ground-sleeping, fruit-based subsistence, and climate-specific austerities to master body and mind.

Vedantic Theme: Tapas as antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi; disciplining prāṇa and senses to support dhyāna and detachment.

Application: Adopt structured self-discipline (sleep simplicity, diet restraint) without self-harm; align practices with health and capacity; keep rituals consistent and intentional.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: austerity site (tapas-sthāna)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.102.5 (dietary restraint and vrata); Garuda Purana 1.102.7 (yoga practice and equanimity)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the Cāndrāyaṇa vrata in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Cāndrāyaṇa as a structured purificatory discipline combining restraint (sleeping on the ground, limited diet) with steady performance of prescribed rites, aimed at inner purification and dharmic steadiness.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it links ethical-spiritual purification (vrata and tapas) with karmic refinement—implying that disciplined living reduces harmful karmic residues that otherwise shape suffering and post-death consequences described elsewhere in the Garuda Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt moderated austerity safely: simplify diet, maintain daily spiritual duties (japa, prayer, charity), and practice seasonal discipline (heat/cold tolerance in moderation) as a way to build self-control and reduce impulsive, harmful actions.