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Shloka 19

Prāyaścitta: Catalogue of Sins, Narakas, and Graded Expiations

Kṛcchra–Cāndrāyaṇa–Japa

Devanagari script

ब्रह्महा द्वादश समा मितभुक् शुद्धिमाप्नुयात् / लोमभ्यः स्वाहेति च वा लोमप्रभृति वै तनुम्

Transliteration

brahmahā dvādaśa samā mitabhuk śuddhimāpnuyāt / lomabhyaḥ svāheti ca vā lomaprabhṛti vai tanum

Translation

Wer einen brāhmaṇa tötet, erlangt Reinigung, wenn er zwölf Jahre lang von abgemessener, eingeschränkter Speise (mitabhuk) lebt. Oder er soll, beginnend bei den Haaren des Körpers, Opfergaben darbringen mit dem Mantra „svāhā den Haaren“, als Ritus, der auf den eigenen Leib gerichtet ist.

Word by Word
ब्रह्महाslayer of a Brahmin
ब्रह्महा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु) → हा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः हन्ता)
द्वादशtwelve
द्वादश:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootद्वादश (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषणम्; ‘समा’ इति पदस्य विशेषणम् (twelve)
समाyears
समा:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (समाः/समा—छान्दसम्); कालपरिमाणवाचक
मित-भुक्eating moderately
मित-भुक्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootमित (कृदन्त; मा (धातु) + क्त) + भुज् (धातु) → भुक् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (मितं भुङ्क्ते इति)
शुद्धिम्purification
शुद्धिम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
आप्नुयात्may attain
आप्नुयात्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआप् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
लोमभ्यःfrom the hairs
लोमभ्यः:
Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootलोमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन
स्वाहाsvāhā (oblatory exclamation)
स्वाहा:
Mantra/Prayoga (मन्त्रप्रयोग)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootस्वाहा (अव्यय/मन्त्रपद)
Formअव्यय; मन्त्रनिपात (exclamation used in oblations)
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha/Quotation (उद्धरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक
वाor
वा:
Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)
लोम-प्रभृतिstarting from the hairs
लोम-प्रभृति:
Desha/Kala-Avadhi (Extent/अवधि)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootलोमन् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभृति (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययीभावसमास; अव्यय (adverbial) अर्थः—‘लोमादारभ्य’
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (emphatic/assuring particle)
तनुम्body
तनुम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतनु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating prāyaścitta teachings to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For brahmahatyā, purification is pursued through prolonged restraint (twelve years of measured diet) or intense ritualized self-offering (homa directed to one’s own body-elements).

Vedantic Theme: Karma is counteracted by tapas and yajña; the body-mind complex is treated as an offering, cultivating disidentification and sattva.

Application: Sustained ethical rehabilitation: long-term discipline, dietary restraint, supervised vows, and reparative service; avoid quick-fix absolution.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: āśrama/ritual setting (homa space)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.105.20–21 (alternate expiations; protection of brāhmaṇa as purifier)

Characters & Entities
B
Brahmaha (brahmahatyā-doer)
B
Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

This verse states that brahmahatyā is treated as a grave sin requiring long, disciplined expiation—such as twelve years of regulated living—showing that purification is tied to sustained self-restraint and prescribed rites.

It presents two prāyaścitta models: (1) a long-term ethical-ascetic discipline (mitabhuk for twelve years), and (2) a mantra-based ritual act directed to one’s own body (“svāhā” offerings beginning with the hairs), indicating both conduct and rite as means of cleansing.

Adopt sustained self-discipline—moderation in consumption, honesty, and reparative action—while seeking guidance from qualified tradition-bearers for any formal ritual practice, since the text links purification to long-term restraint and responsibility.

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