Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

शुध्येत्तद्भस्मना कांस्यं सुरया यन्न लिप्यते / मूत्रेण सुरया मिश्रं तपनैः खलु शुध्यति

Transliteration

śudhyettadbhasmanā kāṃsyaṃ surayā yanna lipyate / mūtreṇa surayā miśraṃ tapanaiḥ khalu śudhyati

Translation

يُطهَّر الكامسيا (البرونز) بتلك الرماد التي لا يبقى معها أثرُ الخمر على الإناء. أمّا إذا اختلط البول بالخمر فإنه يُطهَّر حقًّا بالتسخين، أي بالتعرّض للنار.

Word by Word

• शुध्येत्: should be purified
• शुध्येत्: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन (सम्बन्धः)

• भस्मना: with ash
• भस्मना: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• कांस्यं: bronze vessel/bronze
• कांस्यं: Karta (Subject of passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कांस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुरया: with liquor
• सुरया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma/Viṣaya (Relative object/topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (सम्बन्ध-उपवाक्ये)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध/negation particle)

• लिप्यते: is smeared; gets stained
• लिप्यते: Kriyā (Relative clause verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• मूत्रेण: with urine
• मूत्रेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• सुरया: with liquor
• सुरया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• मिश्रम्: mixed
• मिश्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तपनैः: by heating; by fires/heat
• तपनैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निश्चय/अवधारण particle)

• शुध्यति: is purified
• शुध्यति: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Different contaminants require different śuddhi: ash for liquor-stain on bronze; fire/heat when urine and liquor are mixed.

Vedantic Theme: Agni as purifier and transformer; disciplined action (karma) maintains ritual eligibility and social order.

Application: For bronze vessels tainted by liquor, scrub with effective ash; if urine is mixed with liquor, purify by heating/exposure to fire.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household/ritual kitchen

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222.26 (ash-based purification repeated)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of ritual purification (śuddhi) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that śuddhi is practical and rule-based: different contaminants require different methods (ash for liquor stains on metal; fire when urine and liquor are mixed), ensuring ritual correctness in dharma-karmas.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals and śrāddha preparation?

Śrāddha and related rites require strict cleanliness of vessels and materials; the verse gives a technical standard for restoring purity when utensils are tainted by substances like surā and mūtra.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain dedicated, clean utensils for worship/ancestral rites; if contamination occurs, follow a method appropriate to the impurity—physical cleaning plus traditional purificatory steps (e.g., ash/heat) consistent with one’s practice.