Shloka 51

Prāyaścitta for Food-Contact, Social Contact, Aśauca Periods, and Formal Penance Systems

Devanagari script

ऋक्षं दृष्ट्वा विशुध्यन्ते तत्संयोगी च पञ्चमः / ततो धेनुशतं दद्याद्ब्राह्मणानान्तु भोजनम्

Transliteration

ṛkṣaṃ dṛṣṭvā viśudhyante tatsaṃyogī ca pañcamaḥ / tato dhenuśataṃ dadyādbrāhmaṇānāntu bhojanam

Translation

Beim Anblick eines Bären werden sie gereinigt; ebenso auch ein Fünfter, der mit ihnen verbunden ist. Danach soll man hundert Kühe spenden und den Brāhmaṇas ein Mahl darbringen.

Word by Word

• ṛkṣam: a bear
• ṛkṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), ‘having seen’

• viśudhyante: they become purified
• viśudhyante: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-śudh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); आत्मनेपद

• tat-saṃyogī: one connected with that
• tat-saṃyogī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat + saṃyogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (तस्य संयोगी = one associated with that)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• pañcamaḥ: the fifth
• pañcamaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्रमवाचक विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—अपादान/क्रमसूचक (then/from that)

• dhenuśatam: a hundred cows
• dhenuśatam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenu + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु (शतं धेनूनाम् = a hundred cows)

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• brāhmaṇānām: of Brahmins
• brāhmaṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• bhojanam: feeding/meal
• bhojanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain encounters/omens are treated as purificatory; purification is then sealed by generous gifts and brāhmaṇa-feeding.

Vedantic Theme: External rites as supports for inner purification; generosity reduces possessiveness (mala) and supports sattva.

Application: When a corrective rite is prescribed, complete it with restitution and community support (charity/feeding), not merely symbolic acts.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: wilderness/forest

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: śuddhi via darśana (seeing) and subsequent dāna; Garuda Purana: cow-gifts as high merit and expiation completion

Characters & Entities

• Brahmanas

FAQs

What is the importance of go-dāna (cow donation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents go-dāna, along with feeding brāhmaṇas, as a prescribed expiatory act performed after a purificatory sign, reinforcing dāna as a means of ritual and moral purification.

How does this verse relate to purification (śuddhi) practices in the Garuda Purana?

It links a specific encounter (seeing a bear) with immediate purification and then prescribes follow-up meritorious acts—donation and feeding—reflecting the text’s pattern of pairing śuddhi with dāna-based prayāścitta.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Emphasize ethical purification through generosity: support caretaking of animals, charitable giving, and offering food to those devoted to learning and service—performed with sincerity and restraint.