Shloka 55

Arśa-nidāna: Causes, Prodrome, Doṣa-types, and Complications of Hemorrhoids

Devanagari script

कृच्छ्रसाध्यानि तान्याहुः परिसंवत्सराणि च / बाह्यायां तु वलौ जातान्येकदोषोल्बणानि च

Transliteration

kṛcchrasādhyāni tānyāhuḥ parisaṃvatsarāṇi ca / bāhyāyāṃ tu valau jātānyekadoṣolbaṇāni ca

Translation

Man sagt, dass jene Sühnen (prāyaścitta) durch die Bußübungen des «Kṛcchra» und auch durch Gelübde, die ein volles Jahr währen, vollbracht werden. Doch Vergehen, die aus einem äußeren Abweichen entstehen, gelten als durch einen einzigen vorherrschenden Makel verschärft.

Word by Word

• कृच्छ्रसाध्यानि: difficult to cure
• कृच्छ्रसाध्यानि: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक) + साध्य (प्रातिपदिक; साध् धातु से)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—कृच्छ्रं साध्यम् (difficult to cure)

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• आहुः: they say / call
• आहुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; ‘to say’)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘they say/call’

• परिसंवत्सराणि: for (a) full year(s)
• परिसंवत्सराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि (उपसर्ग) + संवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कालवाचक (duration)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ

• बाह्यायाम्: in the outer (region)
• बाह्यायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणम् (in the outer [fold])

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः

• वलौ: in the fold (valā)
• वलौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• जातानि: arisen / born
• जातानि: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्त-कृदन्त; विशेषणम् (तानि)

• एकदोषोल्बणानि: dominated by a single doṣa
• एकदोषोल्बणानि: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + उल्बण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—एकः दोषः यस्मिन्/येषु (एकदोष) + उल्बण (excessive) इति तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-संकर; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain difficult-to-remedy conditions/offences are addressed through kṛcchra penances and year-long observances; outward-origin lapses tend to be dominated by a single aggravated fault.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and purification (śuddhi) as preparatory discipline; regulation of conduct to reduce afflictive tendencies.

Application: When framed as prāyaścitta: adopt structured, time-bound discipline (fasting/regulated diet/vrata) for correction; when framed medically: treat single-doṣa dominance with targeted measures and sustained regimen.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.156: interface of roga-classification with prāyaścitta vocabulary (kṛcchra, saṃvatsara)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Prāyaścitta
• Kṛcchra

FAQs

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

This verse frames expiation as a practical dharmic remedy: certain faults are purified through defined penances like Kṛcchra or year-long observances, helping reduce karmic burden before the soul’s post-death accounting.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

By emphasizing expiation and the ‘aggravation’ of faults, it supports the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching that unatoned sins intensify suffering in Yama’s domain, while disciplined prāyaścitta mitigates consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat ethical lapses seriously: correct them with sustained discipline (vows, restraint, charity, truthful living), and avoid letting one recurring fault dominate your conduct.