Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कार्या विद्धापि सप्तम्या हन्ति पापं त्रिजन्मनः / उपोषितोर्ऽचयेन्मन्त्रैस्तिथि भान्ते च पारणम्

Transliteration

kāryā viddhāpi saptamyā hanti pāpaṃ trijanmanaḥ / upoṣitor'cayenmantraistithi bhānte ca pāraṇam

Translation

സപ്തമി തിഥി ‘വിദ്ധ’ (മിശ്രിത) ആയാലും അത് അനുഷ്ഠിക്കണം; അത് മൂന്ന് ജന്മങ്ങളിലെ സഞ്ചിതപാപം നശിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. ഉപവാസം പാലിച്ച് മന്ത്രങ്ങളാൽ പൂജിച്ച്, തിഥി അവസാനിക്കുമ്പോൾ പാരണം നടത്തണം.

Word by Word

• कार्या: should be performed
• कार्या: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (to be done)

• विद्धा: pierced/overlapped (i.e., ‘viddhā’ tithi)
• विद्धा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विध् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

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

• सप्तम्या: by/with the seventh (tithi)
• सप्तम्या: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्तमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (सप्तम्या = सप्तम्या तिथ्या)

• हन्ति: destroys
• हन्ति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• त्रिजन्मनः: of three births
• त्रिजन्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (जन्मन्), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (त्रीणि जन्मानि यस्य/त्रिजन्म)

• उपोषितोः: after fasting (for the two periods)
• उपोषितोः: Adhikarana (Time/Condition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + वस् (धातु) + त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘उपोषितोः’ = (of/when) the two (day & night) fasted/observed fasting

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (Injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तिथिः: the tithi
• तिथिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भान्ते: shines/appears (i.e., becomes manifest)
• भान्ते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• पारणम्: the breaking of the fast
• पारणम्: Karma (Object/Act)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; व्रतसमाप्त्यर्थकं भोजनादि

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in discourse to Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-kṣaya through vrata: correct intention and completion (pāraṇa) are essential; observance destroys accumulated pāpa across three births.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandha is beginningless but reducible; niyama and īśvara-arpita karma purify the antaḥkaraṇa.

Application: If Saptamī is viddhā, still keep the fast, perform mantra-arcana, and do pāraṇa precisely at tithi-end; avoid abandoning vows due to minor calendrical ambiguity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: household shrine/vrata space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: vrata-vidhi sequences—upavāsa, arcana, pāraṇa as completion; Garuda Purana: tithi-nirṇaya style instructions in adjacent verses

FAQs

What is the importance of observing Saptamī in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse states that Saptamī observance (vrata with worship and pāraṇa) destroys sins accumulated across three lifetimes, marking it as a powerful dharma practice.

What does ‘viddhā tithi’ mean here, and does it invalidate the vrata?

‘Viddhā’ indicates a tithi overlapped or mixed with another; the verse explicitly says Saptamī should still be performed even when viddhā, so it does not invalidate the observance.

Practical application of this teaching today?

If you keep a Saptamī fast, complete worship with mantras during the tithi and break the fast at the tithi’s end (pāraṇa), focusing on disciplined timing and sincerity.