Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

जात्यन्धबधिरे मूके न दोषः परिवेदने / नष्टे मृते प्रव्रजिते क्लीबे वा पतिते पतौ

Transliteration

jātyandhabadhire mūke na doṣaḥ parivedane / naṣṭe mṛte pravrajite klībe vā patite patau

Translation

Ist der Gatte von Geburt an blind, taub oder stumm, so trifft die Frau kein Fehl, wenn sie einen anderen Ehemann sucht. Ebenso, wenn der Gatte verschollen, tot, der Welt entsagt (pravrajita), impotent oder in schwere Sünde gefallen ist, wird sie bei einer Wiederverheiratung nicht getadelt.

Word by Word

• जात्यन्धबधिरे: in the case of congenital blindness and deafness
• जात्यन्धबधिरे: Adhikarana (Location/Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जात्यन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + बधिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; समासः—जात्यन्ध + बधिर (dvandva); अधिकरण (locative)

• मूके: in the case of a mute person
• मूके: Adhikarana (Location/Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (masc. loc. sg.)

• न: not/no
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• दोषः: fault/blame
• दोषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• परिवेदने: in (the act of) remarriage/second marriage
• परिवेदने: Adhikarana (Location/Topic/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिवेदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (neut. loc. sg.)

• नष्टे: when (the husband) is missing
• नष्टे: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (नश्-धातोः क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• मृते: when (he) is dead
• मृते: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (मृ-धातोः क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• प्रव्रजिते: when (he) has renounced/left home
• प्रव्रजिते: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रव्रजित (प्र+व्रज्-धातोः क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• क्लीबे: when (he) is impotent/eunuch
• क्लीबे: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लीब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (masc. loc. sg.)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प-निपात (or)

• पतिते: when (he) has fallen (from dharma)
• पतिते: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (पत्-धातोः क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

• पतौ: in/with regard to the husband
• पतौ: Adhikarana (Location/Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (masc. loc. sg.)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: No fault attaches to a wife’s remarriage when the husband is congenitally incapacitated (blind/deaf/mute) or is lost, dead, renounced, impotent, or fallen.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as contextual (āpaddharma): rules adapt to preserve social welfare and reduce adharma born of abandonment.

Application: Apply compassionate, context-sensitive norms in family law/ethics; prioritize protection and livelihood when marital support is impossible.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.107 (āpaddharma and prāyaścitta adjacency)

FAQs

What is the importance of remarriage exceptions in Garuda Purana?

This verse outlines specific dharmic exceptions where a woman is not blamed for seeking a new marital shelter—especially when the husband cannot fulfill marital duties due to disappearance, death, renunciation, impotence, severe disability, or grave moral fall.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it frames dharma in household life, emphasizing that social and ethical order must be maintained even amid loss or incapacity—supporting righteous living that, in Garuda Purana’s broader teaching, influences karmic outcomes after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a principle of compassionate, duty-based ethics: when a relationship cannot sustain its core responsibilities due to irreversible conditions, dharma prioritizes protection, stability, and social legitimacy over blame.