Shloka 6

Upanayana Timing, Brahmacarya Rules, Ācamana & Sandhyā Observance

Devanagari script

कनिष्ठादेशिन्यङ्गुष्ठमूलान्यग्रं करस्य च / प्रजापतिपितृब्रह्मदेवतीर्थान्यनुक्रमात्

Transliteration

kaniṣṭhādeśinyaṅguṣṭhamūlānyagraṃ karasya ca / prajāpatipitṛbrahmadevatīrthānyanukramāt

Translation

โคนก้อย โคนนิ้วนาง โคนหัวแม่มือ และปลายฝ่ามือ—สิ่งเหล่านี้ตามลำดับคือ ตีรถะของปรชาปติ ปิตฤ พรหมา และเทวะ

Word by Word

• कनिष्ठा: the little finger
• कनिष्ठा: Adhikarana/Topic (निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘कनिष्ठा’ = little finger

• आदेशिनी: the ring finger
• आदेशिनी: Adhikarana/Topic (निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदेशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘आदेशिनी’ = ring finger (traditional term)

• अङ्गुष्ठ: thumb
• अङ्गुष्ठ: Adhikarana/Topic (निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th) एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-भावे) / निर्देशार्थ; ‘thumb’

• मूलानि: bases (roots)
• मूलानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; ‘bases/roots (of fingers)’

• अग्रम्: the tip
• अग्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘tip/front’

• करस्य: of the hand
• करस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रजापति-पितृ-ब्रह्म-देव-तीर्थानि: the Prajāpati-, Pitṛ-, Brahma-, and Deva-tīrthas
• प्रजापति-पितृ-ब्रह्म-देव-तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजापति (प्रातिपदिक) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व—विभिन्न ‘तीर्थ’ (hand-positions)

• अनुक्रमात्: in order / successively
• अनुक्रमात्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनुक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-अर्थे पञ्चमी-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (ablatival adverb)

Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Identification of specific hand-points as distinct tīrthas for different divine recipients, establishing correctness in ācamana and related rites.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual order (ṛta/niyama) disciplines the mind; symbolic mapping supports one-pointedness (ekāgratā).

Application: Learn and apply the hand-point sequence when taking water or making offerings: little-finger root (Prajāpati), ring-finger root (Pitṛs), thumb root (Brahmā), hand-tip (Devas), according to the rite.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: micro-sacred geography (body)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.94.5 (brahma-tīrtha usage); Garuda Purana 1.94.7 (ācāmana procedure)

Characters & Entities

• Prajapati
• Pitris
• Brahma
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of hand-tīrthas (kara-tīrthas) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse assigns specific sacred ‘tīrtha’ points on the hand to Prajāpati, the Pitṛs, Brahmā, and the Devas, indicating where offerings like water (tarpaṇa) are ritually directed.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: by prescribing correct ritual technique connected to Devas and Pitṛs, it supports śrāddha/tarpaṇa acts believed to aid the departed and uphold dharma, which affects the soul’s post-death welfare.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When performing tarpaṇa or śrāddha, follow the traditional mapping of hand positions for offerings—maintaining clarity, reverence, and correctness in ancestral rites.