Shloka 1

Kārtika Vrata, Bhīṣma-pañcaka, and Ekādaśī Timing

Tithi & Pāraṇa Rules

Devanagari script

द्वाविंशत्युत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः ब्रह्मोवाच / व्रतानि कार्तिके वक्ष्ये स्नात्वा विष्णुं प्रपूजयेत् / एकभक्तेन नक्तेन मासं वायाचितेन वा

Transliteration

dvāviṃśatyuttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ brahmovāca / vratāni kārtike vakṣye snātvā viṣṇuṃ prapūjayet / ekabhaktena naktena māsaṃ vāyācitena vā

Translation

Brahmā disse: “Descreverei os votos (vrata) a serem observados no mês de Kārtika. Após o banho ritual, deve-se adorar o Senhor Viṣṇu com grande devoção—vivendo o mês com uma única refeição diária, ou comendo apenas à noite, ou sustentando-se durante o mês com alimento recebido sem pedir.”

Word by Word

• द्वाविंशति-उत्तर-शततमः: the 122nd
• द्वाविंशति-उत्तर-शततमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वाविंशति (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + शततम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—द्वाविंशत्या उत्तरः शततमः (निर्देशार्थ-तत्पुरुष)

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

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रातिपदिकम्—ब्रह्मन् (नकारान्त)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• व्रतानि: vows
• व्रतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• कार्तिके: in (the month of) Kārtika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; मास-नाम (in the month of Kārtika)

• वक्ष्ये: I shall describe
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रपूजयेत्: should worship
• प्रपूजयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एकभक्तेन: with single-meal (observance)
• एकभक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः—एकं भक्तं यस्य/एकभक्तम् (एकभक्त-नियमः; तृतीया साधन)

• नक्तेन: with night-only (fast)
• नक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; नक्त-भोजन-नियमः (night-only eating)

• मासम्: for a month
• मासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (समुच्चय/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• अयाचितेन: with unsolicited (food)
• अयाचितेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + याचित (कृदन्त; √याच् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘अयाचित’ = अनयाचित/याचनारहित (unsolicited food)

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (समुच्चय/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

Speaker

Brahmā

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kārtika-vratas: after bathing, worship Vishnu with devotion; adopt regulated eating (one meal/day, night-only, or unasked alms) to intensify purity and surrender.

Vedantic Theme: Bhakti supported by niyama and indriya-nigraha; offering daily actions to the Lord (īśvara-arpana) as a purifier of mind.

Application: During Kārtika, set a sustainable discipline: daily bath, Vishnu worship, and one chosen food-restraint mode; keep it consistent for the month.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual landscape (snāna-ghāṭa/temple)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Kartika-mahatmya and vrata listings (adjacent chapters); Garuda Purana: repeated praise of snana + Vishnu-archana as sin-destroying

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Kārtika (month)

FAQs

What is the importance of Kārtika-vrata in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Kārtika as a dedicated period for intensified Viṣṇu-upāsanā: bathe, then worship Viṣṇu, supported by disciplined dietary vows that cultivate devotion and self-restraint.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

While not describing the afterlife directly, it emphasizes dharmic self-discipline and Viṣṇu-bhakti—core purifying practices that the Purāṇic tradition links with merit (puṇya) and spiritual upliftment.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

During Kārtika, adopt a sustainable restraint (one meal, night-only eating, or simple unsolicited/earned food), pair it with daily bathing and focused Viṣṇu worship, and keep the observance consistent for the month.