Shloka 1

Ṛtucaryā, Āhāra–Aushadha Prayoga, Viṣa-haraṇa, and Mantra Procedures

Devanagari script

ऽध्यायः हरिरुवाच / शरद्ग्रीष्मवसन्तेषु प्रायशो दधि गर्हितम् / हेमन्ते शिशिरे चैव वर्षासु दधि शस्यते

Transliteration

'dhyāyaḥ hariruvāca / śaradgrīṣmavasanteṣu prāyaśo dadhi garhitam / hemante śiśire caiva varṣāsu dadhi śasyate

Translation

ഹരി അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—ശരത്, ഗ്രീഷ്മ, വസന്ത ഋതുക്കളിൽ സാധാരണയായി തൈര് നിന്ദിതവും വർജ്യവും ആകുന്നു; എന്നാൽ ഹേമന്തം, ശിശിരം, വർഷാകാലം എന്നിവയിൽ തൈര് ഹിതകരവും ശസ്തവുമെന്നു പറയുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शरद्ग्रीष्मवसन्तेषु: in autumn, summer, and spring
• शरद्ग्रीष्मवसन्तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरद् + ग्रीष्म + वसन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (ऋतु-शब्द), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective)

• प्रायशः: generally/for the most part
• प्रायशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• दधि: curd/yogurt
• दधि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• गर्हितम्: censured/forbidden
• गर्हितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्हित (कृदन्त; गर्ह् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying दधि)

• हेमन्ते: in hemanta (early winter)
• हेमन्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेमन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• शिशिरे: in śiśira (late winter)
• शिशिरे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Nipata (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारण (emphatic particle)

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

• दधि: curd/yogurt
• दधि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शस्यते: is recommended/praised
• शस्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (Hari)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Appropriate conduct includes regulating diet according to season; what is wholesome varies with time and climate.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as harmonizing embodied life with ṛta (order); care of the body as an instrument for sādhana.

Application: Avoid curd in autumn/summer/spring; prefer curd in hemanta/śiśira/varṣā, adjusting quantity and accompaniments to digestion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.182 (diet/rasāyana section context)

Characters & Entities

• Hari

FAQs

What is the importance of seasonal food rules (ṛtu-āhāra) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames dharmic living as including disciplined, season-appropriate diet; curd is discouraged in some seasons and recommended in others to support health and ritual purity.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings beyond afterlife topics?

Alongside teachings on death rites and karma, the text also gives practical dharma for daily life; here, it instructs on food suitability by season as part of righteous conduct.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow seasonal eating: avoid heavy or mucus-forming foods like curd in hotter/transition seasons, and prefer them in colder or rainy months if they suit your constitution and health needs.