Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

क्षीरस्य द्वादश प्रोक्ता दध्नस्तु दश उच्यते / घृतस्य माषकाः पञ्च पञ्चगव्यं मलापहम्

Transliteration

kṣīrasya dvādaśa proktā dadhnastu daśa ucyate / ghṛtasya māṣakāḥ pañca pañcagavyaṃ malāpaham

Translation

لِلبن اثنتا عشرة (وحدة) مقرَّرة؛ وللدَّدهي عشرٌ كما قيل؛ وللسمن المصفّى (غِهْرِتَه) خمسةُ مَاصَكَات. وقد أُعلن أن «پَنْچَگَوْيَه» يزيل الدَّنَس والرجس الطقسي.

Word by Word

• क्षीरस्य: of milk
• क्षीरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Visheshana (Numeral/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक (cardinal)

• प्रोक्ताः: are stated
• प्रोक्ताः: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वच् (√वच् धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle)

• दध्नः: of curd
• दध्नः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (विशेष-रूप: दध्नः)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषबोधक-निपात (particle: 'but/indeed')

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Numeral/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• उच्यते: is said
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (√वच् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• घृतस्य: of ghee
• घृतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• माषकाः: māṣakas (measures)
• माषकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माषक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Numeral/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• पञ्चगव्यम्: pañcagavya (mixture of five cow-products)
• पञ्चगव्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च गव्यानि यस्मिन्/समूहः)

• मलापहम्: removing impurities
• मलापहम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मल + अपह (√हृ/√अपहृ धातु; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मलम् अपहन्ति इति)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Correct proportions in pañcagavya are essential; the mixture is declared mala-apaha (defilement-removing).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa discipline as preparatory purification; order and measure as expressions of dharma.

Application: If observing such rites, keep exactness and cleanliness; interpret ‘impurity removal’ also as commitment to ethical correction and mental clarity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana pañcagavya definitions and uses in śuddhi/prāyaścitta; Garuda Purana śauca rules around defilement (mala)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of pañcagavya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse explicitly calls pañcagavya “malāpaha”—a remover of impurity—highlighting its role as a purificatory substance in prescribed rites.

Does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals?

Yes. The Garuda Purana frequently details ritual procedures and quantities for purificatory acts connected with śrāddha/antyeṣṭi contexts; here it specifies measured amounts and identifies pañcagavya as cleansing.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow tradition with clarity: when performing purification-related rites, use prescribed measures and emphasize inner cleanliness alongside external ritual purity.