Shloka 34

Prāyaścitta: Catalogue of Sins, Narakas, and Graded Expiations

Kṛcchra–Cāndrāyaṇa–Japa

Devanagari script

षण्मासाच्छूद्रहा चैतद्दद्याद्वा धेनवो दश / अप्रदुष्टां स्त्रियं हत्वा शूद्रहत्याव्रतं चरेत्

Transliteration

ṣaṇmāsācchūdrahā caitaddadyādvā dhenavo daśa / apraduṣṭāṃ striyaṃ hatvā śūdrahatyāvrataṃ caret

Translation

Wer einen Śūdra getötet hat, soll diese Sühne sechs Monate lang vollziehen oder andernfalls zehn Kühe spenden. Wer eine unbefleckte, unschuldige Frau getötet hat, soll das Sühnegelübde üben, das für die Tötung eines Śūdra vorgeschrieben ist.

Word by Word

• षण्मासात्: from/for six months
• षण्मासात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण् (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/Ablative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास: 'from six months' (duration as limit)

• शूद्रहा: one who killed a śūdra
• शूद्रहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'हा' (killer) कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'killer of a śūdra'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• धेनवः: milch-cows
• धेनवः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/Subject), बहुवचन; (अत्र दान-वस्तु-रूपेण द्वितीया अपेक्षा, किन्तु पाठे प्रथमा)

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द; (धेनवः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• अप्रदुष्टाम्: untainted/innocent
• अप्रदुष्टाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (उपसर्ग/निषेध) + प्रदुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √दुष्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Object), एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्त्रियम्: a woman
• स्त्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Object), एकवचन

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), 'having killed'

• शूद्रहत्याव्रतम्: the śūdra-killing penance
• शूद्रहत्याव्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्रहत्या (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Object), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'penance for śūdra-killing'

• चरेत्: should practice
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even ‘lesser’ graded offenses require real purification; killing an innocent woman is treated with the seriousness of śūdra-hatyā expiation here.

Vedantic Theme: Ahimsa as a sattvic foundation; purification of antaḥkaraṇa through tapas and dāna to reduce rajas/tamas after violence.

Application: Adopt nonviolence and safeguarding practices; when harm occurs, pursue structured accountability and tangible restitution.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.105 (rules for śūdra-vadha and special cases like strī-vadha)

Characters & Entities

• Śūdra
• strī (woman)
• dhenu (cow)

FAQs

What is the importance of prāyaścitta (expiation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that the Garuda Purana treats prāyaścitta as a dharmic remedy: specific sins have defined observances (vrata) or compensatory gifts (like go-dāna) meant to address moral and ritual consequences.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

While not describing the after-death journey directly, it implies that actions (karma) create consequences that can be mitigated through prescribed expiations, shaping one’s post-mortem condition and moral accountability.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat harm to others as gravely consequential, prioritize non-violence, and when wrongdoing occurs, pursue sincere accountability and restitution through ethical repair and disciplined corrective practice.