Shloka 52

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्महा द्वादशाब्दानि कुटीं कृत्वा वने वसेत् / न्यस्येदात्मानमग्नौ वा सुसमिद्धे सुरापकः

Transliteration

brahmahā dvādaśābdāni kuṭīṃ kṛtvā vane vaset / nyasyedātmānamagnau vā susamiddhe surāpakaḥ

Translation

Der Brāhmaṇa-Mörder soll, nachdem er eine Hütte errichtet hat, zwölf Jahre im Wald wohnen. Und der Trinker von Alkohol soll sein Leben in ein wohlentfachtes Feuer hingeben.

Word by Word

• brahmahā: Brahmin-slayer
• brahmahā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + han (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः हन्ता)

• dvādaśābdāni: twelve years
• dvādaśābdāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa + abda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); द्विगु (द्वादश अब्दाः = twelve years)

• kuṭīm: a hut
• kuṭīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having made’

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• nyasyet: should place/commit
• nyasyet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-ās (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• ātmānam: himself
• ātmānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• agnau: in the fire
• agnau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• susamiddhe: well-kindled (fire)
• susamiddhe: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + samiddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण—‘well-kindled’ (agni implied)

• surāpakaḥ: liquor-brewer
• surāpakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: surā + pāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुरायाः पाकः = maker/brewer of liquor)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Grave sins demand extreme prāyaścitta: long forest austerity for brahmahatyā; self-surrender into fire for surāpāna (as stated here).

Vedantic Theme: Tapas as karmic burning (pāpa-kṣaya) within dharma’s framework; accountability is non-negotiable.

Application: For serious wrongdoing, accept long-term disciplined repair: withdrawal from harmful contexts, sustained restitution, and life-restructuring under guidance (non-violent, lawful equivalents today).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: wilderness/āśrama-hut

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: mahāpātaka expiations and their durations; Garuda Purana: tapas in forest as prāyaścitta motif

Characters & Entities

• Brahmaha (brahmin-slayer)
• Surāpaka (liquor-drinker)
• Agni

FAQs

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

This verse frames prāyaścitta as a dharmic remedy for mahāpātakas (grave sins), prescribing specific disciplines—long forest penance for brahmahatyā and extreme expiation for surāpāna.

How does this verse relate to karma and consequences taught in the Garuda Purana?

It presents actions as carrying heavy karmic weight and indicates that disciplined expiation is a way to neutralize or lessen the karmic burden associated with severe transgressions.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as an ethical warning about the gravity of harm and intoxication, and as a reminder to adopt sincere corrective discipline—repentance, restraint, and restorative conduct—when one has caused serious wrongdoing.