Shloka 17

Aśokāṣṭamī and Mahānavamī: Durgā Navamī-vrata, mantra-nyāsa, forms, weapons, and offerings

Devanagari script

विधिवत्कालिकालीति तदुत्थरुधिरादिकम् / नेरृत्यां पूतनां चैव वायव्यां पापराक्षसीम्

Transliteration

vidhivatkālikālīti taduttharudhirādikam / nerṛtyāṃ pūtanāṃ caiva vāyavyāṃ pāparākṣasīm

Translation

ตามพิธีอันถูกต้อง พึงถวายแด่กาลิกา ผู้มีนามว่า ‘กาลี’ พร้อมโลหิตและสิ่งอื่นที่เกิดจากนั้น ในทิศตะวันตกเฉียงใต้พึงถวายแด่ปูตนา และในทิศตะวันตกเฉียงเหนือพึงถวายแด่รากษสีผู้มีบาป

Word by Word

• विधिवत्: according to rule, duly
• विधिवत्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कालिकाली: (the group called) Kālikālī
• कालिकाली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालिका + आली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (कालिका एव आली/समूहः इति)

• इति: thus, so-called
• इति: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• तदुत्थ: arisen from that
• तदुत्थ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + उत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तस्मात् उत्थम् = arising from that)

• रुधिरादिकम्: blood and the like
• रुधिरादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुधिर + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रुधिरम् आदि यस्य तत्)

• नैरृत्याम्: in the southwest (direction)
• नैरृत्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; दिक्-विशेषः (southwest)

• पूतनाम्: Pūtanā (a demoness)
• पूतनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूतना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• वायव्याम्: in the northwest (direction)
• वायव्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; दिक्-विशेषः (northwest)

• पापराक्षसीम्: the evil demoness
• पापराक्षसीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + राक्षसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पापा राक्षसी)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual causality through correct placement (dik), recipient-identification, and substance (blood etc.) according to vidhi.

Vedantic Theme: Pravṛtti-mārga mechanics: action structured by śāstra yields specific phala; fearsome forms are integrated within cosmic order.

Application: Read as a map of ritual psychology: naming and placing fears/negativities into bounded ‘quarters’ and neutralizing them through disciplined procedure (non-violent substitutions in practice).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: directional quarters (dik)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.133.16 (aṣṭamī fast and night rite context); Garuda Purana 1.134.2 (Nairṛtā/Nirṛti offering explicitly named)

Characters & Entities

• Kālikā (Kālī)
• Pūtanā
• Rākṣasī

FAQs

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

This verse links specific beings to specific directions, indicating that rites are performed with spatial precision to avert harm and maintain ritual order.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s discussion of death rituals and protection?

It reflects the text’s concern with safeguarding the living/ritual space by correctly offering to powerful beings (like Kālikā/Kālī) and pacifying potentially harmful entities (like Pūtanā and a rākṣasī).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If one follows traditional rites, the takeaway is to perform them ‘vidhivat’—with correct procedure, intention, and guidance—rather than improvising, especially in protective or funerary contexts.