Shloka 4

Damanaka-Navamī, Digdaśamī-vrata, and Ekādaśī Ṛṣi-Pūjā

Devanagari script

(इति दिग्दशमीव्रतम्) ब्रह्मोवाच / एकादश्यामृषिपूजा कार्या सर्वोपकारिका / धनवान्पुत्रवांश्चान्ते ऋषिलोके महीयते

Transliteration

(iti digdaśamīvratam) brahmovāca / ekādaśyāmṛṣipūjā kāryā sarvopakārikā / dhanavānputravāṃścānte ṛṣiloke mahīyate

Translation

ब्रह्मोवाच—एकादश्यामृषिपूजा कार्या सर्वोपकारिका; अन्ते धनवान् पुत्रवान् च, ऋषिलोके महीयते।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समाप्तिसूचक

• दिक्-दशमी-व्रतम्: the Dig-daśamī vow
• दिक्-दशमी-व्रतम्: Sambandha (Title/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + दशमी (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नामवाचक

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

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

• एकादश्याम्: on the eleventh (tithi)
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• ऋषि-पूजा: worship of sages
• ऋषि-पूजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधार्य/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (worship of sages)

• कार्या: should be performed
• कार्या: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ + यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be done)

• सर्व-उपकारिका: beneficial in every way
• सर्व-उपकारिका: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + उपकारिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘ऋषिपूजा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• धनवान्: wealthy
• धनवान्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धनवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

• पुत्रवान्: having sons
• पुत्रवान्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्रवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

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

• अन्ते: in the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालवाचक (at the end)

• ऋषि-लोके: in the sages’ world
• ऋषि-लोके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक (in the world of sages)

• महीयते: is honored; is glorified
• महीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (is honored)

Speaker

Brahmā

Pretakalpa Layer

Afterlife Stage: Svarga

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ṛṣi-pūjā (veneration of seers/lineages of knowledge) is sarvopakārika—supporting all aims—and yields prosperity and elevated loka.

Vedantic Theme: Guru/ṛṣi-paramparā reverence as a support for jñāna and dharma; honoring sources of śāstra strengthens sattva and right understanding.

Application: Regularly honor teachers, elders, and knowledge traditions through service, study, and support; cultivate gratitude to intellectual and spiritual lineages.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial world

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.135.5 (listing of sages to be honored)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the importance of ṛṣi-pūjā on Ekādaśī according to the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that honoring the sages on Ekādaśī is “sarvopakārikā”—beneficial in every way—and yields auspicious results.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing post-death journeys, it links dhārmic observance (vrata and ṛṣi-pūjā) with higher destinations—being honored in ṛṣiloka—implying that merit shapes one’s posthumous status.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

On Ekādaśī, include acts of reverence toward spiritual teachers and traditions—study, offerings, charity in their name, or supporting learning—alongside disciplined vrata practice.