Shloka 21

Prāyaścitta for Food-Contact, Social Contact, Aśauca Periods, and Formal Penance Systems

Devanagari script

उपोष्य रजनीमेकां पञ्चगव्येन शुध्यति / वर्णबाह्येन संस्पृष्टः पञ्चरात्रेण वै तदा

Transliteration

upoṣya rajanīmekāṃ pañcagavyena śudhyati / varṇabāhyena saṃspṛṣṭaḥ pañcarātreṇa vai tadā

Translation

بصيام ليلةٍ واحدة يطهر المرء باستعمال «بانتشاغافيا» (pañcagavya). أمّا إن مسّه شخصٌ خارج نظام الفَرْنَة، فإن الطهارة تُنال حينئذٍ بعد خمس ليالٍ من الالتزام.

Word by Word

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप+√वस्/√उष् (धातु; उपवासार्थे) → उपोष्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्यय; क्त्वान्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• रजनीम्: a night
• रजनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एकाम्: one
• एकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• पञ्चगव्येन: with pañcagavya
• पञ्चगव्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (five products of the cow)

• शुध्यति: is purified
• शुध्यति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• वर्णबाह्येन: by an outcaste (outside varṇa)
• वर्णबाह्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण + बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—वर्ण-बाह्य (outside the varṇa)

• संस्पृष्टः: touched/contaminated
• संस्पृष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+√स्पृश् (धातु) → संस्पृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, भूतकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle), विशेषण

• पञ्चरात्रेण: by (observing for) five nights
• पञ्चरात्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (five nights)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphatic)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāyaścitta through upavāsa and pañcagavya; heavier contact impurity requires longer observance (five nights).

Vedantic Theme: Tapas (austerity) as purifier; discipline of body and senses supports sattva and dharmic eligibility.

Application: Use proportionate corrective discipline: brief fast and cleansing for minor lapses; longer regulated observance for major boundary transgressions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/ritual

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222 (pañcagavya and graded śuddhi durations)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of pañcagavya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents pañcagavya as a recognized means of śuddhi (ritual purification), especially when paired with a brief fast, indicating its role in expiatory practice (prāyaścitta).

How does this verse relate to purity rules connected with death rituals?

By defining time-based purification after contact-based impurity, the verse supports the broader Garuda Purana emphasis that purity and prescribed observances are prerequisites for effective rites (including śrāddha and related ceremonies).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages disciplined, time-bound self-restraint (fasting/observance) and conscientious ritual hygiene, while reminding practitioners to follow their tradition’s guidance for purification practices.