Shloka 3

Śivarātri Vrata: Timing, Accidental Merit, and the Complete Night-Vigil Procedure

Devanagari script

कामयुक्तो हरः पूज्यो द्वादश्यामि केशवः / उपोषितैः पूजितः सन्नरकात्तरयत्तथा

Transliteration

kāmayukto haraḥ pūjyo dvādaśyāmi keśavaḥ / upoṣitaiḥ pūjitaḥ sannarakāttarayattathā

Translation

കാമനയോടെ ഉള്ളവൻ ഹരൻ (ശിവൻ)നെ പൂജിക്കണം; ദ്വാദശി തിഥിയിൽ കേശവൻ (വിഷ്ണു)നെ പൂജിക്കണം. ഉപവാസികളാൽ പൂജിക്കപ്പെട്ടാൽ അദ്ദേഹം അതുപോലെ നരകത്തിൽ നിന്നുമും രക്ഷിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• कामयुक्तः: desire-filled/with desires
• कामयुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कामेन युक्तः’ (endowed with desire)

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूज्यः: worthy to be worshipped
• पूज्यः: Kriya-vishesana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पूज् (धातु) → पूज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘to be worshipped’

• द्वादश्याम्: on the twelfth (tithi)
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (on the twelfth tithi)

• केशवः: Keśava (Viṣṇu)
• केशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपोषितैः: by the fasting (people)
• उपोषितैः: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-√वस् (धातु) → उपोषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘by those who have fasted’

• पूजितः: worshipped
• पूजितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पूज् (धातु) → पूजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सन्: being
• सन्: Kriya-vishesana (Conjunctive participle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √अस् (धातु) → सन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘being’ (often enclitic)

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अपादान (from hell)

• तरयत्: delivered/caused to cross
• तरयत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense not marked (simple ‘caused to cross’ contextually)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thus/likewise)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Naraka

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Different devotional orientations (kāma-driven vs. higher aim) are accommodated; Keśava worship with fasting becomes salvific, freeing from naraka.

Vedantic Theme: Gradation of motives in devotion (sakāma/niṣkāma); īśvara-bhakti purifies and can lead beyond karmic bondage.

Application: On dvādaśī, observe upavāsa and worship Keśava with mantra and restraint; refine intention from desire to surrender.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.124.2 (Śivarātri phala); Garuda Purana Pretakalpa (naraka descriptions; deliverance motif)

Characters & Entities

• Hara (Shiva)
• Keshava (Vishnu)
• Naraka (hell)

FAQs

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

This verse states that worship of Keśava on Dvādaśī—especially when accompanied by fasting—has the power to deliver a person from naraka (hellish states), making it a key remedial and purificatory observance.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in terms of consequences and remedies?

By referencing “naraka” and prescribing vrata-based worship, the verse links moral/psychic causes (kāma, desire) with post-death consequences, and presents devotional discipline (fasting and worship) as a means of crossing beyond those consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe Dvādaśī with restraint (fasting or moderated diet), worship Viṣṇu/Keśava with sincerity, and consciously regulate desire-driven actions—treating spiritual discipline as a corrective to harmful impulses.