Shloka 8

Vow-Fasting (Anaśana), Sannyāsa, Tīrtha-Death, and the Ethics of Dāna

Devanagari script

महारोगोपपत्तौ च गृहीते ऽनशने कृते / पुनर्न जायते रोगो देववद्धि विराजते

Transliteration

mahārogopapattau ca gṛhīte 'naśane kṛte / punarna jāyate rogo devavaddhi virājate

Translation

เมื่อถูกโรคร้ายครอบงำ หากตั้งพรตอดอาหาร โรคนั้นย่อมไม่เกิดขึ้นอีก และผู้นั้นย่อมรุ่งเรืองสว่างไสวดุจเทวะ।

Word by Word

• महā-रोग-उपपत्तौ: in the occurrence of a great disease
• महā-रोग-उपपत्तौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + उपपत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (sg.); अधिकरण (locative of circumstance)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गृहीते: when (it is) undertaken/accepted
• गृहीते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → गृहीत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी प्रयोग (locative absolute)

• अनशने: in fasting (undertaken)
• अनशने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• कृते: when (it is) done
• कृते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी प्रयोग

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb: again)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• जायते: is born/arises
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.); आत्मनेपद

• रोगः: disease
• रोगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st), एकवचन (sg.)

• देववत्: like a god
• देववत्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (indeclinable comparative: 'like')

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• विराजते: shines/is resplendent
• विराजते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + राज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.); आत्मनेपद

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Fasting undertaken during grave illness prevents recurrence and yields deva-like radiance—linking tapas to purification and uplift.

Vedantic Theme: Tapas as antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi (inner purification) producing sattva and clarity; bodily discipline as support for spiritual luminosity.

Application: If medically safe and guided, adopt moderated fasting/abstinence with prayer and ethical resolve; interpret ‘radiance’ as increased sattva, clarity, and disciplined living post-recovery.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dharma passages where tapas/upavāsa remove pāpa and increase tejas

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of fasting (anaśana) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents fasting as a dharmic discipline that counters severe illness and restores purity, leading to renewed vitality and a “deva-like” radiance.

How does this verse explain suffering and its remedy in the Garuda Purana worldview?

It frames disease as a condition that can be checked through conscious restraint; by undertaking anaśana, the recurrence of illness is said to cease, implying a karmic-ethical dimension to healing.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt disciplined, medically safe fasting or dietary restraint with ethical living and prayerful intent, using it as a tool for self-control and recovery rather than indulgence or excess.