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Shloka 1

Prāyaścitta for Faults (Water/Fire/Confinement), Child Culpability, and Purification in Menstruation and Illness-Contact

Devanagari script

भूदानादिनिरूपणं नाम द्विचत्वारिंशतमो ऽध्यायः श्रीविष्णुरुवाच / जलाग्निबन्धनभ्रष्टा प्रव्रज्यानाशकच्युताः / ऐन्दवाभ्यां विशुध्यन्ति दत्त्वा धेनुं तथा वृषम्

Transliteration

bhūdānādinirūpaṇaṃ nāma dvicatvāriṃśatamo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīviṣṇuruvāca / jalāgnibandhanabhraṣṭā pravrajyānāśakacyutāḥ / aindavābhyāṃ viśudhyanti dattvā dhenuṃ tathā vṛṣam

Translation

Der erhabene Vishnu sprach: Wer in Verfehlungen gefallen ist, die mit Wasser, Feuer oder unrechtmäßiger Fesselung zusammenhängen, und wer von der Zucht der Entsagung (Pravrajyā) und der Bewahrung heiliger Riten abgeglitten ist, wird durch mondhafte (kühlende) und sonnenhafte (brennende) Läuterungen gereinigt, indem er eine Kuh und ebenso einen Stier verschenkt.

Word by Word
भूदानland-gift
भूदान:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Title member)
TypeNoun
Rootभू + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: 'gift of land' (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)
आदिetc.
आदि:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootआदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमाहार-सूचक (etc./and so on), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
निरूपणम्description, exposition
निरूपणम्:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootनिरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
नामnamed
नाम:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Title marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाम (अव्यय)
Formनामार्थक-अव्यय (particle indicating title/name)
द्विचत्वारिंशतमःforty-second
द्विचत्वारिंशतमः:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootद्वि + चत्वारिंशत् + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्रमवाचक (ordinal)
अध्यायःchapter
अध्यायः:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootअध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
श्रीविष्णुःLord Viṣṇu
श्रीविष्णुः:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootश्री + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: 'revered Viṣṇu'
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
जलwater
जल:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier base)
TypeNoun
Rootजल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
अग्निfire
अग्नि:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier base)
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
बन्धनbondage, imprisonment
बन्धन:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier base)
TypeNoun
Rootबन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
भ्रष्टाःfallen (from), lapsed
भ्रष्टाः:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootभ्रंश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
प्रव्रज्याrenunciation, monastic life
प्रव्रज्या:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier base)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रव्रज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
नाशकdestroyer, one who ruins
नाशक:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier base)
TypeNoun
Rootनाशक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
च्युताःfallen, deviated
च्युताः:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootच्यु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
ऐन्दवाभ्याम्by (two) aindava-offerings/rites
ऐन्दवाभ्याम्:
करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootऐन्दव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचन (Dual)
विशुध्यन्तिbecome purified
विशुध्यन्ति:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + शुध् (धातु)
Formलट् लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)
दत्त्वाhaving given
दत्त्वा:
पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla/Prior action)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययवत् (indeclinable verbal)
धेनुम्a cow
धेनुम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootधेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
तथाalso, likewise
तथा:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise/also)
वृषम्a bull
वृषम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootवृष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāyaścitta and dāna as means to restore ritual and moral purity after specific lapses.

Vedantic Theme: Karma (doṣa–śuddhi) and the purificatory power of sattvic acts offered in a dharmic frame.

Application: When one violates restraints or incurs impurity, undertake appropriate expiation and compensate through ethical giving (e.g., cow/bull-dāna) under guidance of dharma authorities.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta-kalpa/Dharma-kanda): prāyaścitta and dāna sections; go-dāna and vṛṣa-dāna praised as purifiers in multiple adhyāyas

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
M
Moon (Soma/Chandra)
S
Sun (Surya)

FAQs

This verse presents dhenu-dāna as a direct means of purification (prāyaścitta), especially for serious lapses and ritual/ethical faults, indicating charity as a dharmic remedy.

It links specific categories of transgression (faults tied to water, fire, confinement, and lapses from renunciant/ritual discipline) with a prescribed corrective act—gifting a cow and a bull—framed as lunar and solar purification.

Treat harm done through negligence or misuse of essential forces (like water/fire/power over others) as requiring restitution: practice responsible conduct, support ethical charities/care for cattle or equivalent welfare causes, and restore disciplined spiritual practice.

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