Shloka 27

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas (Great Sins), Vows, Tīrtha, and Sin-Destroying Observances

Devanagari script

फल्गुतीर्थादिषु स्नातः सर्वाचारफलं लभेत् / इत्याह भगवान्विष्णुः पुरा मम यतव्रताः

Transliteration

phalgutīrthādiṣu snātaḥ sarvācāraphalaṃ labhet / ityāha bhagavānviṣṇuḥ purā mama yatavratāḥ

Translation

من اغتسل في تيرثا فَلغو وغيرها من المعابر المقدسة نال ثمرةَ جميع الأعمال الصالحة والعهود. هكذا تكلّم الربّ فيشنو قديماً إليّ وإلى أهل النذور المنضبطة.

Word by Word

• फल्गुतीर्थादिषु: in Phalgu-tirtha and other (tirthas)
• फल्गुतीर्थादिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phalgu-tīrtha + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); बहुवचन; ‘फल्गुतीर्थ’ + ‘आदि’ (आदि-समास/तत्पुरुषः: ‘फल्गुतीर्थ-आदिषु’ = in Phalgu-tirtha etc.)

• स्नातः: having bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (स्ना) + स्नात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘having bathed’

• सर्वाचारफलं: the fruit of all (good) conduct
• सर्वाचारफलं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + ācāra + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘सर्वाचारस्य फलम्’ = fruit of all proper conduct)

• लभेत्: would obtain; may obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (लभ्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ah (अह्/आह)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; ‘भगवान्’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्

• पुरा: formerly; long ago
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: formerly)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• यतव्रताः: O you of restrained vows
• यतव्रताः: Sambodhana (Addressed/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yata + vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘यतं व्रतं येषाम्’/‘यतव्रत’ = restrained in vows); संबोधनार्थेऽपि सम्भवः (contextually addressed)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Tīrtha-snāna as a potent karmic amplifier: a single sacred act can yield the consolidated fruit of many observances when done with śraddhā and niyama.

Vedantic Theme: Grace (anugraha) operating through sacred places; karma becomes efficacious when aligned with sattva and devotion to Viṣṇu.

Application: Undertake tīrtha-snāna with restraint (yata-vrata), truthfulness, and devotion; treat pilgrimage as inner purification, not tourism.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha/river ford

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: tīrtha-māhātmya and vrata-phala passages (general internal parallel)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Phalgu Tirtha

FAQs

What is the importance of bathing at Phalgu Tirtha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that bathing at Phalgu Tirtha (and similar sacred fords) grants the merit comparable to the fruits of all righteous observances (sarvācāra-phala).

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in Garuda Purana terms?

By emphasizing tirtha-snana as a powerful purifier of conduct and merit, it supports the Garuda Purana’s broader theme that dharmic actions and purification practices shape one’s post-death trajectory and auspicious outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Undertake sacred bathing/pilgrimage with disciplined vows and ethical restraint, treating the ritual as reinforcement of daily dharma rather than a substitute for right conduct.