Shloka 3

Akhaṇḍa-Dvādaśī Vrata: Mārgaśīrṣa Fast, Viṣṇu-Pūjā, and Four-Month Dāna

Devanagari script

सप्तजन्मनि हे विष्णो यन्मया हि व्रतं कृतम् / भगवंस्त्वत्प्रसादेन तदखण्डमिहास्तु मे

Transliteration

saptajanmani he viṣṇo yanmayā hi vrataṃ kṛtam / bhagavaṃstvatprasādena tadakhaṇḍamihāstu me

Translation

హే విష్ణో! ఏడు జన్మలలో నేను చేసిన వ్రతము, ఓ భగవాన్, నీ ప్రసాదముచేత ఈ జన్మలో నాకు అఖండంగా నిలిచియుండుగాక।

Word by Word

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषणम्; (indeclinable-like numeral used adjectivally)

• जन्मनि: in (a) birth
• जन्मनि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• हे: O
• हे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (सम्बोधन-अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• विष्णो: Vishnu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• यत्: which (vow)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (निपात)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कृतम्: done/performed
• कृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; व्रतम् इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वत्: your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-समासपूर्वपद-रूप (genitive stem)

• प्रसादेन: by grace
• प्रसादेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• तत्: that (vow)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अन्वयः व्रतम् प्रति

• अखण्डम्: unbroken, intact
• अखण्डम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्/व्रतम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• इह: here
• इह: Desha (Adverbial/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative/benedictive sense); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मे: for me / mine
• मे: Sampradana (Beneficiary/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; षष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (genitive/dative enclitic)

Speaker

Garuda (Vinata-putra), addressing Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Merit from vows is safeguarded and made ‘unbroken’ through Viṣṇu’s prasāda; devotion anchors karmic continuity across births.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha as the decisive factor in the fruition and preservation of karma; bhakti as a purifier and stabilizer of saṃskāras.

Application: Dedicate one’s vrata and its fruits to Viṣṇu; conclude observances with a prayer for akhaṇḍa-puṇya and steadiness in dharma.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.118.4 (akhaṇḍa motif); Garuda Purana vrata sections around 1.118–1.119 (vrata-phala and procedure)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the importance of vrata in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights vrata as a long-term spiritual discipline whose merit can extend across births, especially when sustained and protected through devotion to Viṣṇu.

How does this verse explain continuity across births?

By referencing “seven births,” it implies that spiritual effort and merit (from vows) can persist through rebirth, but its fullness is ultimately secured by divine grace rather than effort alone.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain consistent ethical and devotional observances (vrata) with humility, and dedicate their fruit to Viṣṇu—seeking steadiness of practice rather than short-term results.