Shloka 30

Devotpatti-nirūpaṇa — Hari’s Pūrṇatva

Completeness) and the Ritual Doctrine of Sāra (Essence

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां तु तुलसी सारा ग्राह्या मनीषिभिः / त्वचा नासेंद्रियेणापि न तु जिह्वेन्द्रियेण च

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ tu tulasī sārā grāhyā manīṣibhiḥ / tvacā nāseṃdriyeṇāpi na tu jihvendriyeṇa ca

Translation

ഏകാദശി ദിനത്തിൽ തുളസിയുടെ സാരം ജ്ഞാനികൾ സ്വീകരിക്കണം—ചർമ്മത്തിലൂടെയോ ഘ്രാണേന്ദ്രിയത്തിലൂടെയോ; എന്നാൽ ജിഹ്വേന്ദ്രിയം (രുചി) വഴി അല്ല।

Word by Word

• एकादश्याम्: on Ekadashi
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• तुलसी: Tulasi
• तुलसी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सारा: excellent
• सारा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (tulasī)

• ग्राह्या: should be taken/accepted
• ग्राह्या: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त-यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (to be taken/acceptable)

• मनीषिभिः: by the wise
• मनीषिभिः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent, in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• त्वचा: with the skin (touch)
• त्वचा: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• नासेन्द्रियेण: with the nose-sense (smell)
• नासेन्द्रियेण: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासा (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नासायाः इन्द्रियम्)

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

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• जिह्वेन्द्रियेण: with the tongue-sense (taste)
• जिह्वेन्द्रियेण: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जिह्वायाः इन्द्रियम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: On Ekadashi, Tulasi is to be accepted reverentially without tasting—honoring vrata purity and sense-restraint.

Vedantic Theme: Indriya-nigraha supporting sattva and single-pointed devotion to Narayana.

Application: On Ekadashi, avoid chewing/tasting Tulasi; instead accept as prasada by touching to skin, smelling, or placing on head/heart while remembering Vishnu.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Vrata/Acara sections): Ekadashi-niyama; Tulasi-mahatmya passages; Garuda Purana: Vishnu-bhakti and vrata-phala discussions around fasting/avoidances

Characters & Entities

• Tulasi
• Ekadashi

FAQs

What is the importance of Tulasi on Ekadashi according to the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that on Ekādaśī, tulasī is honored as spiritually potent, but its intake should be regulated—accepted reverentially (touch/smell) rather than tasted.

Does this verse relate to death rituals or the soul’s journey in the Garuda Purana?

Indirectly: it teaches vrata-dharma and purity disciplines associated with Viṣṇu-bhakti, which the Garuda Purana treats as supportive of auspicious karmic outcomes, even though this specific verse is not a preta-kriyā instruction.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If you observe Ekādaśī, treat tulasī with special reverence: use it for worship and sanctification (touch/smell), and follow your tradition’s fasting rules about tasting/ingesting it on that day.