Shloka 1

Ekādaśī-Vrata Nirṇaya: Avoiding Daśamī-Viddha and Establishing Trimīśrā

Devanagari script

चतुर्विंशत्युत्तरशततमो ऽध्यायः पितामह उवाच / मान्धाता चक्रवर्त्यासीदुपोष्यैकादशीं नृपः / एकादश्यां न भुञ्जीत पक्षयोरुभयारपि

Transliteration

caturviṃśatyuttaraśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ pitāmaha uvāca / māndhātā cakravartyāsīdupoṣyaikādaśīṃ nṛpaḥ / ekādaśyāṃ na bhuñjīta pakṣayorubhayārapi

Translation

పితామహుడు పలికెను—మాంధాతా అనే చక్రవర్తి రాజు ఉండెను. హే నృపా, ఏకాదశీ ఉపవాసం ఆచరించి, శుక్ల-కృష్ణ రెండు పక్షాల ఏకాదశీనాడు భోజనం చేయకూడదు.

Word by Word

• चतुर्विंशत्युत्तरशततमः: the 124th
• चतुर्विंशत्युत्तरशततमः: Visheshana (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्विंशति + उत्तर + शत + तम (प्रातिपदिक; components: चतुर्विंशति ‘24’ + उत्तर ‘beyond’ + शत ‘hundred’ + तम ‘ordinal suffix’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण (qualifying अध्यायः)

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

• पितामहः: Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta (Speaker)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु √वच्)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपद

• मान्धाता: Māndhātā
• मान्धाता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान्धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• चक्रवर्ती: universal monarch
• चक्रवर्ती: Karta (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रवर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणवत् (title)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु √अस्)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); परस्मैपद

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: Purvakala (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + वस् (धातु √वस् ‘to dwell/fast’ in sense ‘to fast’) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive, ल्यप्), ‘having fasted’

• एकादशीम्: Ekādaśī (the 11th lunar day)
• एकादशीम्: Karma (Object/occasion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); मान्धाता-सम्बन्धि (apposition)

• एकादश्याम्: on Ekādaśī
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikarana (time/when)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• भुञ्जीत: should eat
• भुञ्जीत: Karta (injunctive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु √भुज्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); आत्मनेपद

• पक्षयोः: of the two fortnights
• पक्षयोः: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (dual)

• उभयत्र: in both (cases)
• उभयत्र: Adhikarana (scope)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उभयत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/परिसरवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘in both’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: ‘also/even’)

Speaker

Pitāmaha (Brahmā)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ekādaśī fasting as a recurring devotional discipline; abstain from eating on Ekādaśī in both waxing and waning fortnights.

Vedantic Theme: Indriya-nigraha and upavāsa as support for remembrance of the Lord; purification enabling steadier bhakti and sattva.

Application: Observe Ekādaśī twice monthly; plan diet and schedule to maintain fast safely; use the day for japa, reading, and reduced sensory indulgence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: Ekādaśī-vrata sections and phala-śruti passages; Garuda Purana: narratives of kings attaining merit through vrata observance

Characters & Entities

• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• Māndhātā

FAQs

What is the importance of Ekādaśī in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Ekādaśī as a strict vrata: one should refrain from eating on the 11th lunar day in both fortnights, and it is exemplified through the renowned cakravartin king Māndhātā.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by emphasizing vrata and self-restraint as dharmic discipline, it points to purification of karma—one of the foundations for a favorable post-death journey described elsewhere in the Garuda Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe Ekādaśī with mindful restraint (fasting or regulated diet per one’s capacity), treating it as a regular practice of self-control and devotion rather than mere ritual.