Shloka 35

Moksha and Svarga through Dāna, Tīrtha, Nāma-smaraṇa, and Bhāva

Devanagari script

भूतं भव्यं बविष्यञ्च पापं जन्मत्रयार्जितम् / पक्षालयति तत् सर्वं विप्रकन्योपनायनात्

Transliteration

bhūtaṃ bhavyaṃ baviṣyañca pāpaṃ janmatrayārjitam / pakṣālayati tat sarvaṃ viprakanyopanāyanāt

Translation

Sünde, die über drei Geburten angesammelt wurde—Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und sogar das, was künftig entstünde—wird gänzlich abgewaschen durch das Upanayana (heilige-Schnur-Initiation) einer Brahmanenmaid.

Word by Word

• bhūtam: past (time)
• bhūtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhūta (कृदन्त; √bhū भू धातु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past participle (भूत) used adjectivally

• bhavyam: future/that which will be
• bhavyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; adjective qualifying pāpam

• bhaviṣyam: future (time)
• bhaviṣyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaviṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; adjective qualifying pāpam

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• pāpam: sin
• pāpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• janma-traya-arjitam: acquired over three births
• janma-traya-arjitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक) + arjita (कृदन्त; √arj अर्ज् धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; tatpuruṣa: janmatraya (त्रयाणां जन्मनाम्) + arjita (acquired)

• prakṣālayati: washes away
• prakṣālayati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√kṣāl (प्रक्षाल् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; pronoun referring to pāpam

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; adjective qualifying tat/pāpam

• vipra-kanyā-upanāyanāt: from the upanayana of a Brahmin girl
• vipra-kanyā-upanāyanāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + kanyā (प्रातिपदिक) + upanāyana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; tatpuruṣa: viprakanyā (विप्रस्य कन्या) + upanāyana (initiation/bringing near)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Performing/arranging a major saṃskāra (upanayana) as dāna/puṇya-act yields profound pāpa-kṣaya across births.

Vedantic Theme: Saṃskāra as citta-śuddhi and dharma as a purifier that supports higher pursuit (adhikāra for jñāna/bhakti).

Application: Support education and initiation into disciplined study (symbolically: sponsor learning, rites, or formative ethical training) with purity of intent.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: saṃskāra and dāna praised as pāpa-kṣaya means; upanayana as dharma-adhikāra marker

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of upanayana in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents upanayana as a powerful samskara that purifies deep karmic demerit, described as sins accumulated across three births, emphasizing ritual initiation as a means of moral and spiritual cleansing.

How does this verse explain the working of karma across lifetimes?

By explicitly mentioning sins ‘earned over three births’ and linking their removal to a dharmic rite, the verse frames karma as multi-life continuity and portrays samskaras as capable of transforming or exhausting stored papa.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat life-cycle rites and disciplined study/ethical living (the spirit of upanayana) as commitments to self-purification—reducing harmful actions now and cultivating habits that prevent future wrongdoing.