Shloka 1

Vaiśvadeva-Homa: Establishing Vaiśvānara, Sending Away Impurity, and the Svāhā Recipient-List

Devanagari script

नाम पञ्जदशोत्तरद्विशततमो ऽध्यायः ब्रह्मोवाच / वैश्वदेवं प्रवक्ष्यामि होमलक्षणमुत्तमम् / प्रज्वाल्य चाग्निं पर्युक्ष्य-ॐ क्रष्यादमग्निं प्रहिणोमि दूरं यमराज्यं गच्छतु रिप्रवाहः / इहैवायमितरो जातवेदा देवेभ्यो हव्यं वहतु प्रजानत् / ॐ पावक वैश्वानर इदमासनं अरणीगर्भसंस्कृततेजोरूप महाब्रह्मन् मुहूर्तास्त्रिषु वैश्वानरं प्रतिबोधयामि / ॐ वैश्वानरे न उभयं आप्रयातु परावतः अग्निर्न स्वद्युतीरूपपृष्ठो दिवि पृष्ठो ऽश्वि पृथिव्यां पृष्ठा विवेवा ओषधीचाविवेश वैश्वानरः सहसा पृष्ठो ऽग्निः नमो दिव्य स षष्ठां नक्तम्

Transliteration

nāma pañjadaśottaradviśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ brahmovāca / vaiśvadevaṃ pravakṣyāmi homalakṣaṇamuttamam / prajvālya cāgniṃ paryukṣya-oṃ kraṣyādamagniṃ prahiṇomi dūraṃ yamarājyaṃ gacchatu ripravāhaḥ / ihaivāyamitaro jātavedā devebhyo havyaṃ vahatu prajānat / oṃ pāvaka vaiśvānara idamāsanaṃ araṇīgarbhasaṃskṛtatejorūpa mahābrahman muhūrtāstriṣu vaiśvānaraṃ pratibodhayāmi / oṃ vaiśvānare na ubhayaṃ āprayātu parāvataḥ agnirna svadyutīrūpapṛṣṭho divi pṛṣṭho 'śvi pṛthivyāṃ pṛṣṭhā vivevā oṣadhīcāviveśa vaiśvānaraḥ sahasā pṛṣṭho 'gniḥ namo divya sa ṣaṣṭhāṃ naktam

Translation

ବ୍ରହ୍ମା କହିଲେ— ମୁଁ ବୈଶ୍ୱଦେବ ହୋମର ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ଲକ୍ଷଣ ଓ ବିଧି କହୁଛି। ଅଗ୍ନି ପ୍ରଜ୍ୱଳିତ କରି, ଶୁଦ୍ଧ ଜଳରେ ପର୍ଯୁକ୍ଷଣ କରି ଜପ କରିବ— “ଓଁ ଏହି ଅଗ୍ନିକୁ ମୁଁ ଦୂରକୁ ପଠାଉଛି; ଅପବିତ୍ରତାର ପ୍ରବାହ ଯମରାଜ୍ୟକୁ ଯାଉ। କିନ୍ତୁ ଏହି ଅନ୍ୟଟି—ଜାତବେଦା—ଏଠିଏ ରହୁ ଏବଂ ଜାଣି ଦେବମାନଙ୍କ ପାଖକୁ ହବ୍ୟ ବହନ କରୁ।” ପରେ— “ଓଁ ପାବକ ବୈଶ୍ୱାନର, ଏହା ତୁମ ଆସନ; ଅରଣୀଗର୍ଭରୁ ସଂସ୍କୃତ ତେଜୋରୂପ ମହାବ୍ରହ୍ମନ, ତିନି ମୁହୂର୍ତ୍ତରେ ମୁଁ ବୈଶ୍ୱାନରକୁ ପ୍ରତିବୋଧ କରେ।” ପୁନଃ— “ଓଁ ବୈଶ୍ୱାନର ଦ୍ୱାରା ଦୂରରୁ ଆମକୁ ଉଭୟ ମଙ୍ଗଳ ଆସୁ; ସ୍ୱଦ୍ୟୁତିରୂପ ପୃଷ୍ଠବାହୀ ଅଗ୍ନି, ଯାହାର ଆଧାର ଦିବି ଓ ପୃଥିବୀ, ଯେ ଔଷଧି-ବନସ୍ପତିରେ ପ୍ରବେଶିଛି—ସେ ବୈଶ୍ୱାନର ଅଗ୍ନି ଶୀଘ୍ର ପ୍ରତିଷ୍ଠିତ ହେଉ। ଦିବ୍ୟ ଅଗ୍ନିକୁ ନମସ୍କାର…”

Word by Word

• vaiśvadevam: Relating to the All-Gods
• vaiśvadevam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaiśvadeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• pravakṣyāmi: I will declare
• pravakṣyāmi: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Lrt Lakara (Future), Uttama Purusha, Singular

• homalakṣaṇam: Characteristics of Homa
• homalakṣaṇam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homalakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• uttamam: Excellent/Best
• uttamam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• prajvālya: Having kindled
• prajvālya: Purvakala Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: jval (धातु)
• Form: Lyap (Absolutive)

• agniṃ: Fire
• agniṃ: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• paryukṣya: Having sprinkled around
• paryukṣya: Purvakala Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: ukṣ (धातु)
• Form: Lyap (Absolutive)

• kravyādam: Flesh-eating (form of Agni)
• kravyādam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kravyāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• prahiṇomi: I send away/cast off
• prahiṇomi: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hi (धातु)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Uttama Purusha, Singular

• yamarājyam: Realm of Yama
• yamarājyam: Karma (Destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yamarājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• ripravāhaḥ: Carrying impurity/sin
• ripravāhaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ripravāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• jātavedāḥ: Agni (Knower of all beings)
• jātavedāḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jātavedas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• havyaṃ: Oblation
• havyaṃ: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: havya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• vahatu: Let him carry
• vahatu: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vah (धातु)
• Form: Lot Lakara (Imperative), Prathama Purusha, Singular

• prajānan: Knowing
• prajānan: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Present Participle (Shatr), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Brahma

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Yamaloka Journey

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Pañca-mahāyajña ethos via Vaiśvadeva: daily fire-offering purifies, sustains devas, and maintains ṛta through Agni as mediator.

Vedantic Theme: Yajña as harmonizing principle; Agni as inner fire (vaiśvānara) reflecting the universal Self’s sustaining power (microcosm–macrocosm correspondence).

Application: Perform Vaiśvadeva with proper kindling, pariṣecana (sprinkling), and mantras; consciously dedicate removal of impurity and offering transport to devas.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual hearth (agni-kuṇḍa)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana adhyāya 216 Vaiśvadeva-vidhi context; subsequent svāhā list (216.2) as continuation

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Agni
• Vaishvanara
• Jatavedas
• Devas
• Yama

FAQs

What is the importance of Vaiśvadeva homa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Vaiśvadeva as a highest-grade daily offering that purifies the performer, properly seats/invokes Agni (Vaiśvānara), and directs the oblation to the Devas while removing defilement.

Why does the mantra mention Yama’s kingdom in a fire ritual?

The verse uses ritual language of separation: impurity (ripra-vāha) is symbolically sent away to Yama’s realm, while the consecrated Agni (Jātavedas/Vaiśvānara) remains to carry offerings to the gods—marking purity vs. defilement.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain daily disciplines that ‘separate’ harmful habits from sacred actions: begin worship/meditation with a clear purification step, then offer your best effort (havya) toward uplifting goals and service (deva-oriented living).