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Shloka 39

Varṇāśrama-ācāra, Aśauca (Sūtaka) Regulations, and Prāyaścitta with Funeral-Rite Notes

Devanagari script

सर्वांश्चतुष्पदान्हत्वा अहोरात्रो षितो जपेत् / शूद्रं हत्वा चरेत्कृच्छ्रमतिकृच्छ्रं तु वैश्यहा / क्षत्त्रं चान्द्रायणं विप्रं द्वाविंशात्रिंशमाहरे (वहे) त्

Transliteration

sarvāṃścatuṣpadānhatvā ahorātro ṣito japet / śūdraṃ hatvā caretkṛcchramatikṛcchraṃ tu vaiśyahā / kṣattraṃ cāndrāyaṇaṃ vipraṃ dvāviṃśātriṃśamāhare (vahe) t

Translation

সমস্ত চতুষ্পদ প্রাণী হত্যা করলে এক দিন-রাত উপবাস করে জপ করতে হবে। শূদ্র হত্যা করলে কৃচ্ছ্র, বৈশ্য হত্যা করলে অতীকৃচ্ছ্র; ক্ষত্রিয় হত্যা করলে চন্দ্রায়ণ; আর ব্রাহ্মণ হত্যা করলে বাইশ বা তেইশ দিনের প্রায়শ্চিত্ত পালন করতে হবে।

Word by Word
सर्वान्all
सर्वान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण
चतुष्पदान्four-footed animals
चतुष्पदान्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootचतुष्पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), बहुवचन
हत्वाhaving killed
हत्वा:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय-भाव
अहोरात्रःa day and night (period)
अहोरात्रः:
Karma (Measure/कर्म-परिमाण)
TypeNoun
Rootअहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन
उषितःhaving stayed (for that period)
उषितः:
Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootवस् (धातु)
Formक्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘उषित’ = वसित/स्थित (having stayed/observed)
जपेत्should recite (japa)
जपेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootजप् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
शूद्रम्a Śūdra
शूद्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन
हत्वाhaving killed
हत्वा:
Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय-भाव
चरेत्should perform/undertake
चरेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootचर् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
कृच्छ्रम्the Kṛcchra penance
कृच्छ्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन
अतिकृच्छ्रम्the Ati-kṛcchra penance
अतिकृच्छ्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअति + कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; उपसर्ग-तत्पुरुषः (intensified): अतिकृच्छ्र
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formविरोध/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)
वैश्यहाone who kills a Vaiśya
वैश्यहा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवैश्य + हन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: वैश्यं हन्ति इति (killer of a Vaiśya)
क्षत्त्रम्a Kṣatriya
क्षत्त्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन (here: ‘kṣatriya’ as class/term)
चान्द्रायणम्the Cāndrāyaṇa penance
चान्द्रायणम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootचान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन
विप्रम्a Brāhmaṇa
विप्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन
द्वाविंशात्रिंशम्(a period of) twenty-two and thirty (days)
द्वाविंशात्रिंशम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वाविंशति + त्रिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-द्वन्द्वः (copulative number): 22 and 30 (days/units implied)
आहरेत्should undertake/perform
आहरेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआ + हृ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa / Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāyaścitta is graded by the severity/object of harm; japa, fasting, and vows are instruments to restore dharmic standing.

Vedantic Theme: Karma’s ethical weight varies with intention/object; purification disciplines the mind and reinscribes dharma, though ultimate liberation requires deeper transformation.

Application: Adopt non-violence; if grave wrongdoing occurs, seek rigorous, sustained atonement and reform under competent guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.107.38 (ahorātra purification); Garuda Purana 1.108.1–2 (transition to nīti/dharma instruction)

Characters & Entities
V
Viṣṇu
G
Garuḍa
Ś
Śūdra
V
Vaiśya
K
Kṣatriya
B
Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

This verse shows that harmful actions—especially killing—are addressed through graded penances (japa, Kṛcchra, Atikṛcchra, Cāndrāyaṇa), emphasizing ethical restraint and ritual-ethical correction of karmic fault.

By prescribing increasingly severe penances for killing beings of different social categories (and animals), the text frames killing as a grave karmic act requiring deliberate self-discipline to counteract the moral and spiritual damage.

Adopt non-violence and accountability: avoid harm to living beings, and when wrongdoing occurs, respond with sincere corrective action—self-restraint, repentance, spiritual practice (japa), and ethical reform.

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