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

Wer irgendein vierfüßiges Tier getötet hat, soll einen vollen Tag und eine Nacht fasten und dabei japa (Mantra‑Rezitation) verrichten. Wer einen Śūdra tötet, soll die Buße Kṛcchra üben; wer einen Vaiśya tötet, die Atikṛcchra. Für die Tötung eines Kṣatriya ist das Gelübde Cāndrāyaṇa zu vollziehen; und für die Tötung eines Brāhmaṇa ist eine Buße von zweiundzwanzig oder dreiundzwanzig Tagen zu leisten, wie vorgeschrieben.

Word by Word

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• चतुष्पदान्: four-footed animals
• चतुष्पदान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्पद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), बहुवचन

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

• अहोरात्रः: a day and night (period)
• अहोरात्रः: Karma (Measure/कर्म-परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• उषितः: having stayed (for that period)
• उषितः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘उषित’ = वसित/स्थित (having stayed/observed)

• जपेत्: should recite (japa)
• जपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शूद्रम्: a Śūdra
• शूद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

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

• चरेत्: should perform/undertake
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कृच्छ्रम्: the Kṛcchra penance
• कृच्छ्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• अतिकृच्छ्रम्: the Ati-kṛcchra penance
• अतिकृच्छ्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति + कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; उपसर्ग-तत्पुरुषः (intensified): अतिकृच्छ्र

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• वैश्यहा: one who kills a Vaiśya
• वैश्यहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य + हन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: वैश्यं हन्ति इति (killer of a Vaiśya)

• क्षत्त्रम्: a Kṣatriya
• क्षत्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन (here: ‘kṣatriya’ as class/term)

• चान्द्रायणम्: the Cāndrāyaṇa penance
• चान्द्रायणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• विप्रम्: a Brāhmaṇa
• विप्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन

• द्वाविंशात्रिंशम्: (a period of) twenty-two and thirty (days)
• द्वाविंशात्रिंशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वाविंशति + त्रिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-द्वन्द्वः (copulative number): 22 and 30 (days/units implied)

• आहरेत्: should undertake/perform
• आहरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (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

• Viṣṇu
• Garuḍa
• Śūdra
• Vaiśya
• Kṣatriya
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of prāyaścitta (expiation) in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

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.

How does this verse explain karma and moral responsibility?

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.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

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.