Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

स्तेयी सर्वं वेदविदे ब्राह्मणायोपपादयेत् / वृषमेकं सहस्रं गां दद्याच्च गुरुतल्पगः

Transliteration

steyī sarvaṃ vedavide brāhmaṇāyopapādayet / vṛṣamekaṃ sahasraṃ gāṃ dadyācca gurutalpagaḥ

Translation

على السارق أن يسلّم كلَّ ما يملك لبرهمنٍ عالمٍ بالڤيدا؛ ومن دنّس فراش المعلّم (gurutaḷpaga) فعليه أن يقدّم كفّارةً ثورًا واحدًا وألفَ بقرةٍ.

Word by Word

• स्तेयी: a thief (one who steals)
• स्तेयी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• वेदविदे: to the knower of the Veda
• वेदविदे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद-विद् (प्रातिपदिक; वेद + विद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; ‘वेदं वेत्ति’ इति (वेद-विद्)

• ब्राह्मणाय: to a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• उपपादयेत्: should present/offer (give formally)
• उपपादयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√पद् (धातु) (causative of √पद्/पादयति)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• वृषम्: a bull
• वृषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वृषम्)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-नाम

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

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

• गुरुतल्पगः: one who violates the guru’s bed (grave offender)
• गुरुतल्पगः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु-तल्प-ग (प्रातिपदिक; गुरु + तल्प + ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘गुरोः तल्पं गच्छति/सेवते’ इति (one who violates the teacher’s bed)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāyaścitta through total surrender (for theft) and prescribed go-dāna (for guru-talpa) to restore social-cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and purification (mala-kṣaya) as preparation for higher knowledge; restraint of adharma to stabilize sattva.

Application: When one has wronged others, prioritize restitution and accountable repair under qualified guidance; treat teachers/mentors’ trust as inviolable; adopt concrete reparative acts rather than denial.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta/Dharma sections): recurring prāyaścitta catalogues for theft, sexual transgressions, and go-apacāra; Garuda Purana: emphasis on dāna as sin-mitigation alongside austerities

Characters & Entities

• Brahmin
• Veda
• Guru

FAQs

What is the importance of prayaschitta (atonement) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that specific grave sins require concrete expiation—especially through renunciation and prescribed gifts—so that karmic burden is reduced and dharma is restored.

How does this verse relate to sins and their consequences described in the Garuda Purana?

By prescribing surrender of wealth for theft and major cattle-gifts for gurutalpa, the text connects ethical violations with remedial acts, aligning moral conduct with karmic accountability emphasized throughout the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Live transparently (no taking what is not given), honor teachers and boundaries, and when wrongdoing occurs, take responsibility through restitution, sincere reform, and meaningful charitable giving.