Shloka 52

Viśokā Dvādaśī Vow, Guḍa-Dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift, and Śaila-Dāna (Mountain-Charity) Rites

Devanagari script

तदिदानीं प्रवक्ष्यामि सर्वपापविनाशनम् । कृष्णाजिनं चतुर्हस्तं प्राग्ग्रीवं विन्यसेद्भुवि

Transliteration

tadidānīṃ pravakṣyāmi sarvapāpavināśanam | kṛṣṇājinaṃ caturhastaṃ prāggrīvaṃ vinyasedbhuvi

Translation

والآن سأشرح ما يمحو جميع الخطايا: تُوضَعُ على الأرضِ جِلدةُ ظبيٍ أسود، مقدارُها أربعُ أذرعٍ (أربعُ كفوف)، ويُجعلُ عنقُها متجهًا نحو الشرق.

Word by Word

• tat: then/thereupon
• tat: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध/अन्वयार्थे) = indeclinable, used adverbially ‘then/thereupon’

• idānīm: now
• idānīm: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: idānīm (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• pravakṣyāmi: I will explain/tell
• pravakṣyāmi: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sarva-pāpa-vināśanam: the destroyer of all sins
• sarva-pāpa-vināśanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (सर्व) + pāpa (पाप) + vināśana (विनाशन) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘सर्वेषां पापानां विनाशनम्’)

• kṛṣṇa-ajinam: a black deer-skin
• kṛṣṇa-ajinam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण) + ajina (अजिन) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘कृष्णं अजिनम्’)

• catur-hastam: four hands (in measure)
• catur-hastam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (चतुर्) + hasta (हस्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (kṛṣṇājinam इति विशेष्यस्य); समासः द्विगु/तत्पुरुषप्रायः (‘चत्वारः हस्ताः प्रमाणम् यस्य’)

• prāk-grīvam: with the neck toward the east
• prāk-grīvam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāk (प्राक्) + grīva (ग्रीव) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्; अव्ययीभावः (‘प्राक् ग्रीवा यस्य’ = east-facing neck)

• vinyaset: one should place
• vinyaset: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√ni√as (अस्/न्यस् धातु; √as ‘to place’ with ni, vi)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhuvi: on the ground
• bhuvi: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (भूमि) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed to confirm the dialogue pair).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: tadidānīm = tat + idānīm; prāggrīvam = prāk + grīvam (k→g before g); vinyasedbhuvi = vinyaset + bhuvi (t + bh → dbh).

FAQs

Why does the verse prescribe a black deerskin (kṛṣṇājina) for the rite?

In Purāṇic and Smṛti-style ritual language, a deerskin is a traditional ascetic/ritual seat associated with purity, restraint, and steadiness; here it functions as a prescribed ritual base for practices described as sin-destroying.

What is the significance of orienting the deerskin’s neck toward the east (prāg-grīva)?

East (prācī) is commonly treated as an auspicious, solar-facing direction in Vedic-Purāṇic ritual orientation; specifying “neck to the east” standardizes the setup and aligns the rite with that auspicious directionality.

What ethical or spiritual lesson is implied by calling this procedure “sarva-pāpa-vināśanam” (destroyer of all sins)?

The verse frames disciplined, rule-governed practice as transformative: careful preparation, purity, and intentional orientation are presented as supports for inner purification and moral-spiritual renewal.