Shloka 7

Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline

Devanagari script

व्यत्यये कर्मणां साम्यं पूर्ववच्चोत्तरावरम् / कर्म स्मार्तं विवाहाग्नौ कुर्वीत प्रत्यहं गृही

Transliteration

vyatyaye karmaṇāṃ sāmyaṃ pūrvavaccottarāvaram / karma smārtaṃ vivāhāgnau kurvīta pratyahaṃ gṛhī

Translation

若诸仪轨有所替换或调适，当保持诸行事之等同：依先前之法，而将后续步骤按其次第施行。居家者当于婚礼所立之圣火中，日日修行斯摩尔多（Smārta）之日常法事。

Word by Word

• व्यत्यये: in the case of reversal/intermixture
• व्यत्यये: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• कर्मणाम्: of duties/rites
• कर्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• साम्यम्: equality/sameness
• साम्यम्: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; विधेयार्थे (predicate-noun)

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निबद्ध)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'as before')

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

• उत्तर-अवरम्: higher and lower (in order)
• उत्तर-अवरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + अवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (उत्तरं च अवरं च)

• कर्म: the rite/duty
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• स्मार्तम्: prescribed by Smṛti
• स्मार्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मार्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म-विशेषण

• विवाह-अग्नौ: in the marriage-fire
• विवाह-अग्नौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (विवाहस्य अग्निः)

• कुर्वीत: should perform
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रत्यहम्: daily
• प्रत्यहम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + अहन् (अव्ययीभाव)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb: 'each day')

• गृही: the householder
• गृही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual substitutions must preserve functional equivalence; the gṛhastha should maintain daily smārta rites in the vivāha-agni.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga orientation in pravritti: steadiness in nitya-karma as purification (citta-shuddhi) supporting higher knowledge.

Application: Maintain consistent daily agnihotra/smārta routines; when adapting rites due to circumstance, preserve intent, sequence, and equivalence per smriti guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic sacred space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96.8 (limits on śrauta performance; purity); Garuda Purana 1.96.9 (morning sandhyā and mantra-japa)

FAQs

What is the importance of Smārta daily rites in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that a gṛhastha should perform Smṛti-prescribed daily duties regularly, using the vivāha-agni as the domestic sacred fire that sustains household dharma.

How does this verse explain handling changes or substitutions in rituals?

It states that when rites are adjusted (vyatyaya), one should preserve the essential equivalence of actions and proceed in an order consistent with the established earlier procedure while integrating later steps appropriately.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain consistency in daily spiritual discipline; if circumstances require modifying a practice, preserve its core intent and structure rather than abandoning the duty altogether.