Shloka 75

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

हिरण्यं सर्पिरादित्य आपो राजा तथाष्टमः / एतानि सततं पश्येदर्चयेच्च प्रदक्षिणम्

Transliteration

hiraṇyaṃ sarpirāditya āpo rājā tathāṣṭamaḥ / etāni satataṃ paśyedarcayecca pradakṣiṇam

Translation

സ്വർണം, നെയ്യ്, ആദിത്യൻ, ജലം, കൂടാതെ രാജാവ്—അഷ്ടമമായി—ഇവയെ എല്ലായ്പ്പോഴും ദർശിച്ച് പൂജിച്ച് പ്രദക്ഷിണം ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• हिरण्यम्: gold
• हिरण्यम्: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सूची-एकम्

• सर्पिः: ghee
• सर्पिः: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आदित्यः: the Sun
• आदित्यः: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आपः: waters
• आपः: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (pluralia tantum), प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘thus/also’

• अष्टमः: the eighth
• अष्टमः: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमसंख्या (ordinal) — अष्टमः (i.e., the eighth is)

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• सततम्: constantly
• सततम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सततम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb) ‘constantly’

• पश्येत्: should see
• पश्येत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेष्य (object: ‘circumambulation’)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Recognize certain entities as carriers of auspiciousness and uphold them through respectful attention and worshipful conduct.

Vedantic Theme: Seeing the sacred in vyavahāra (everyday supports) as expressions of ṛta/dharma; gratitude as a purifier of mind.

Application: Practice reverence and responsible use: ethical wealth, pure food/offerings, daily sun-respect (morning salutations), water conservation/purity, and respect for just governance; perform pradakṣiṇā in temple contexts and cultivate ‘pradakṣiṇā-bhāva’ (keeping the sacred at the center).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: household/temple and civic-royal domain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: dharma sections praising dāna (gold), ghee in homa, sūrya and tīrtha-water merits, and rāja-dharma (general thematic links)

Characters & Entities

• Aditya (Sun)
• Apah (Waters)
• Raja (King)

FAQs

What is the importance of constantly beholding and honoring these items in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames certain life-supporting and dharma-sustaining realities—wealth (gold), sacred nourishment (ghee), cosmic order (Sun), purity and life (water), and social order (king)—as worthy of regular reverence to cultivate auspiciousness and disciplined conduct.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings beyond death rituals?

Although the Garuda Purana is famous for afterlife discussions, it also teaches āchāra (right conduct). Here it emphasizes daily reverence and orderly living, which is presented as supportive of dharma and beneficial outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain gratitude and respect for essentials (resources, food, sunlight, clean water) and uphold civic responsibility toward lawful governance; incorporate simple acts of reverence such as respectful attention, offerings, or pradakṣiṇā in one’s devotional routine.