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

బ్రహ్ముడు పలికెను—కార్తికమాసంలో ఆచరించవలసిన వ్రతాలను నేను వివరిస్తాను. స్నానం చేసి భక్తితో శ్రీ విష్ణువును పూజించాలి—మాసమంతా ఒక్కసారి భోజనం చేసి, లేదా రాత్రి మాత్రమే భుజించి, లేక అడగకుండా లభించిన ఆహారంతో జీవించాలి.

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.