Shloka 17

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

Ritual Timing

Devanagari script

प्रतिपद्यप्यमावास्या तिथ्योर्मस्यं महाफलम् / एतद्व्यस्तं महाघोरं हन्ति पुण्यं पुरा कृतम्

Transliteration

pratipadyapyamāvāsyā tithyormasyaṃ mahāphalam / etadvyastaṃ mahāghoraṃ hanti puṇyaṃ purā kṛtam

Translation

പ്രതിപദയും അമാവാസ്യയും—ഈ രണ്ടു തിഥികൾ ശരിയായി അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചാൽ മഹാഫലം നൽകും. എന്നാൽ കലക്കത്തോടെയോ മറിച്ചായോ ചെയ്താൽ, ആ കർമ്മം മഹാഘോരമായി മുൻപ് സമ്പാദിച്ച പുണ്യം നശിപ്പിക്കും।

Word by Word

• प्रतिपदि: on the first lunar day (pratipad)
• प्रतिपदि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• अमावास्या: new-moon day
• अमावास्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावास्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तिथ्योः: of the two tithis
• तिथ्योः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), द्विवचन

• मस्यम्: monthly (reckoning/measure)
• मस्यम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; पाठभेदसम्भवः—‘मास्यम्/मस्यं’ (मास-सम्बन्धि)

• महाफलम्: great result/benefit
• महाफलम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् फलम्)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• व्यस्तम्: reversed/disordered
• व्यस्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+अस्/व्यस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (disordered/reversed)

• महाघोरम्: very dreadful
• महाघोरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महच्च तत् घोरम्)

• हन्ति: destroys
• हन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly/earlier
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• कृतम्: done/performed
• कृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; ‘पुण्यम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma is sensitive to vidhi: correct observance yields mahāphala; confused/inverted performance (vyasta/viparyaya) becomes harmful and can negate accumulated merit.

Vedantic Theme: Primacy of right intention and right method in action; pramāda (carelessness) obstructs purification and steadiness of mind.

Application: Follow clear procedure and competent guidance for tithi-based rites/vratas; avoid mixing rules, improvising under uncertainty, or performing when mentally/ritually unprepared.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual time (tithi observance)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.128 (context: tithi rules and timing; this verse provides the cautionary consequence); Garuda Purana (elsewhere): repeated theme that improper rites can be fruitless or harmful, especially in śrāddha contexts (general internal resonance)

FAQs

What is the importance of Pratipad and Amavasya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that Pratipad and Amāvāsyā observances can yield great spiritual fruit (mahāphala) when performed correctly, highlighting their ritual and karmic weight.

How does this verse explain the consequences of incorrect ritual practice?

It warns that a rite done in a confused, inverted, or improper way (vyasta) becomes spiritually harmful (mahāghora) and can negate previously accumulated merit (puṇya).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow tithi-based practices with clarity—right day, right intention, and right method—and when unsure, simplify to sincere prayer/charity and seek guidance rather than performing complex rites incorrectly.