Shloka 12

Prāyaścitta: Catalogue of Sins, Narakas, and Graded Expiations

Kṛcchra–Cāndrāyaṇa–Japa

Devanagari script

गोवधो व्रात्यतास्तेयमृणानां च परिक्रिया / अनाहिताग्नितापण्यविक्रयः परिवेदनम्

Transliteration

govadho vrātyatāsteyamṛṇānāṃ ca parikriyā / anāhitāgnitāpaṇyavikrayaḥ parivedanam

Translation

Kuhschlachtung; Leben als vrātya (Ausgestoßener außerhalb der Kaste); Diebstahl; unrechtmäßiger Umgang mit Schulden; Verkauf dessen, was nicht verkauft werden darf (besonders heiliger/ritueller Güter); und Wiederverheiratung, während der frühere Ehepartner noch lebt—dies alles wird als Sünde verkündet.

Word by Word

• गोवधः: killing of a cow
• गोवधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गोः वधः)

• व्रात्यता: being an outcaste; vṛātya-status
• व्रात्यता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रात्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्तेयम्: theft
• स्तेयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ऋणानाम्: of debts
• ऋणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• परिक्रिया: settlement/handling (of debts); transaction
• परिक्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि + कृ (धातु) → परिक्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अनाहिताग्नितापण्यविक्रयः: selling of goods by one who has not maintained the sacred fires
• अनाहिताग्नितापण्यविक्रयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनाहित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + ता (प्रत्यय) + पण्या (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (अनाहिताग्निताः + पण्या-विक्रयः)

• परिवेदनम्: marrying again while the elder spouse is living; remarriage/overstepping
• परिवेदनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि + विद् (धातु) → परिवेदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain acts (go-vadha, steya, vrātyatā, debt-fraud, illicit sale, bigamy) are intrinsically adharma, producing papa and social-ritual exclusion.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandha: adharmic action strengthens bondage (bandhana) and obscures sattva needed for jnana/bhakti.

Application: Maintain non-violence toward protected beings, honesty in property and debt, purity in livelihood, and marital fidelity; avoid transactions that commodify sacred/ritual goods.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta-kalpa/Dharma-kanda): general papa-karmas lists and naraka causality sections (cow-slaughter, theft, sexual misconduct); Garuda Purana: shraddha efficacy is reduced by grave sins; emphasis on sadachara before rites

FAQs

What is the importance of listing sins (pāpa-karmas) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse functions as a dharma-checklist: by naming specific prohibited acts, the text clarifies what creates pāpa and thus leads to suffering and unfavorable post-death consequences.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey after death in the Garuda Purana?

The Garuda Purana links conduct in life with post-death outcomes; such enumerations identify actions that become causes for punishment or hardship in Yama’s domain and obstacles to a favorable afterlife.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid harm and theft, handle debts honestly, keep livelihood ethical (no exploitative/forbidden trade), and follow responsible family commitments—these are presented as core safeguards of dharma.