Shloka 18

Graha-daśā, Rāśi-adhipatya, Śakuna (Omens), and Nakṣatra-Lakṣaṇa on the Solar Diagram

Devanagari script

यस्मिन्नृक्षे वसद्भानुस्तदान्दि त्रीणि मस्तके / त्रयं वक्रे प्रदातव्यमेकैकं स्कन्धयोर्न्यसेत्

Transliteration

yasminnṛkṣe vasadbhānustadāndi trīṇi mastake / trayaṃ vakre pradātavyamekaikaṃ skandhayornyaset

Translation

यस्मिन्नृक्षे वसद्भानुः तस्मिन् मस्तके त्र्याण्डिकाः। वक्रे त्रयं प्रदातव्यं स्कन्धयोरेकैकं न्यसेत्॥

Word by Word

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण (relative locative)

• ऋक्षे: in the lunar mansion (nakshatra)
• ऋक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• वसत्: dwelling/being present
• वसत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of भानुः)

• भानुः: the Sun
• भानुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• अण्डि: an egg-shaped mark/oval (aṇḍi)
• अण्डि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇḍi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (here: ‘egg/oval mark’ as item to place)

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (of अण्डि understood/plural items)

• मस्तके: on the head
• मस्तके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mastaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• त्रयम्: a group of three
• त्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘a set of three’

• वक्रे: on the curve/bend
• वक्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (on the curve/bend)

• प्रदातव्यम्: should be given/placed
• प्रदातव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra- (उपसर्ग) + √dā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय—‘should be given/placed’

• एकैकम्: one each
• एकैकम्: Visheshana (Distributive/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (reduplicative sense: one-by-one)

• स्कन्धयोः: on the two shoulders
• स्कन्धयोः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; here सप्तमी-द्विवचनार्थे (locative dual: on the shoulders)

• न्यसेत्: should place
• न्यसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni- (उपसर्ग) + √as/√nyas (धातु: ‘to place’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; विधि

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual order (vidhi) sanctifies space and matter; correct placement (nyāsa-like mapping) is itself efficacious.

Vedantic Theme: Saguna-upāsanā through symbol and placement; disciplined action (karma-yoga in ritual form) purifies intention.

Application: Follow prescribed placement carefully in any rite/diagram; treat symbolic supports (tree/diagram) as sacred bodies—avoid casual handling.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: sacred tree / ritual support

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.60.17-20 (Surya/tree mapping sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Bhanu)

FAQs

What is the importance of āṇḍi offerings in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats āṇḍi as a prescribed ritual offering with fixed placement (head, bend, shoulders), indicating that correct distribution is part of the intended efficacy of post-death rites.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

In the Preta Kanda context, such placements are part of preta-karma/śrāddha procedures meant to support the departed’s transitional state; the verse gives the exact ritual layout rather than a metaphysical description.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

If one follows traditional śrāddha/preta-rite practice, the takeaway is precision: perform rites under competent guidance and follow the prescribed sequence and placement rather than improvising.