Shloka 121

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

प्राजापत्येन तत्तुल्यं महापातकनाशनम् / यत्फलं द्वादशाब्दानि प्राजापत्ये कृते भवेत्

Transliteration

prājāpatyena tattulyaṃ mahāpātakanāśanam / yatphalaṃ dvādaśābdāni prājāpatye kṛte bhavet

Translation

Die Prājāpatya-Sühne (Prājāpatya) ist in ihrer Wirkung gleichwertig und vernichtet große Sünden. Das Verdienst, das aus der zwölfjährigen Ausübung des Prājāpatya-Gelübdes entstünde, wird dadurch erlangt.

Word by Word

• prājāpatyena: by the Prājāpatya (rite/penance)
• prājāpatyena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājāpatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रायः नपुंसक), तृतीया, एकवचन (Instr., Singular); साधन/हेतु-भाव

• tat-tulyam: equal to that
• tat-tulyam: Predicative (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + tulya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: 'तत्सदृशम्'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• mahā-pātaka-nāśanam: destroyer of great sins
• mahā-pātaka-nāśanam: Predicative (Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + pātaka (प्रातिपदिक) + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध): 'महापातकस्य नाशनम्' / 'महापातक-नाशनम्'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• phalam: fruit; result
• phalam: Karma/Topic (Object/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• dvādaśa-abdāni: twelve years
• dvādaśa-abdāni: Kāla-adhikarana (Time-span/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + abda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: 'द्वादश अब्दाः' (twelve years); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Plural)

• prājāpatye: in the Prājāpatya (rite)
• prājāpatye: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājāpatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Loc., Singular)

• kṛte: when performed
• kṛte: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्यय (क्त) = past passive participle; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; 'कृते' = 'when done/performed' (locative absolute sense with prājāpatye)

• bhavet: would be; may occur
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (लिङ्-लकार), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd sg)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāyaścitta can neutralize grave karmic demerit; Prājāpatya is presented as highly efficacious, equated with long-term observance fruit.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kṣaya through disciplined expiation; purification as a step toward steadiness of mind and higher pursuit.

Application: When one has committed serious wrongs, undertake appropriate prāyaścitta under competent guidance; pair expiation with restitution, truthfulness, and sustained ethical reform.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: prāyaścitta and pāpa-kṣaya discussions in dharma-oriented portions (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Prajapati

FAQs

What is the importance of Prājāpatya prāyaścitta in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Prājāpatya as a powerful expiation capable of destroying mahāpātakas, emphasizing its high standing among ritual penances.

How does this verse explain the removal of sin (pāpa) and karmic burden?

It states that performing Prājāpatya yields an equivalent, highly potent result—so strong that it is described as a destroyer of great sins, indicating karmic purification through disciplined atonement.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages sincere corrective action after wrongdoing—through disciplined vows, restraint, and prescribed religious remedies—rather than ignoring ethical breaches.