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

プールヴァー・アーシャーダーはアーピヤス（聖なる水の神々）により主宰され、ウッタラー・アーシャーダーはヴィシュヴェーデーヴァたちに統べられる。アビジットはブラフマーのもとと宣言され、シュラヴァナーはヴィシュヌに属すると記憶される。

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.