Shloka 12

Yājñavalkya on the Sources of Dharma and the Saṁskāras of the Twice-Born

Devanagari script

अहन्येकादशे नाम चतुर्थे मासि निष्क्रमः / षष्ठे ऽन्नप्राशनं मासि चूडां कुर्याद्यथाकुलम्

Transliteration

ahanyekādaśe nāma caturthe māsi niṣkramaḥ / ṣaṣṭhe 'nnaprāśanaṃ māsi cūḍāṃ kuryādyathākulam

Translation

پیدائش کے گیارھویں دن نامकरण، چوتھے مہینے میں نِشکرمَن (باہر لے جانا)، چھٹے مہینے میں اَنّ پراشن؛ اور خاندانی روایت کے مطابق مناسب مہینے میں چوڑاکرم کرنا چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• अहनि: on the day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• एकादशे: on the eleventh (day)
• एकादशे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (ordinal sense)

• नाम: name-giving (naming rite)
• नाम: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चतुर्थे: in the fourth (month)
• चतुर्थे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• निष्क्रमः: going out (first outing rite)
• निष्क्रमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• षष्ठे: in the sixth (month)
• षष्ठे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक

• अन्नप्राशनम्: first feeding of solid food (annaprāśana)
• अन्नप्राशनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अन्नस्य प्राशनम्)

• मासि: in the month
• मासि: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• चूडाम्: tonsure/tuft ceremony (cūḍā)
• चूडाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चूडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: according as)

• कुलम्: family tradition
• कुलम्: Adverbial (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे उपपद-सम्बन्धः (यथाकुलम् = कुलानुसारम्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Postnatal saṃskāras: naming on day 11, first outing in month 4, first solid food in month 6, and tonsure according to family custom.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra as social-spiritual inscription of identity and responsibility; honoring kula-ācāra within dharma.

Application: Mark child-development milestones with meaningful, non-coercive family rituals; keep the focus on blessing, gratitude, and community support.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic ritual space / first outing setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (continued saṃskāra list: upanayana and later rites typically follow in sequence)

FAQs

What is the importance of samskaras like nāma-karaṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats early-life samskaras as dharmic milestones, prescribing specific times for naming, first outing, first solid food, and tonsure to align a child’s life with ritual order and family tradition.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not describe the after-death journey here; instead, it emphasizes dharma through samskaras, implying that orderly rites and right conduct support a well-formed life that later bears karmic and spiritual fruit.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow a consistent, family- and tradition-aligned approach to key life rites (naming, first feeding, etc.), prioritizing meaningful observance over mere formality, and consult qualified elders/priests for customary timing (yathākulam).