Shloka 11

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas (Great Sins), Vows, Tīrtha, and Sin-Destroying Observances

Devanagari script

अवगूहेत्स्त्रियं तप्तां दीप्तां कार्ष्णायसीं कृताम् / गुर्वङ्गनागामिनश्च चरेयुर्बह्महव्रतम्

Transliteration

avagūhetstriyaṃ taptāṃ dīptāṃ kārṣṇāyasīṃ kṛtām / gurvaṅganāgāminaśca careyurbahmahavratam

Translation

He should embrace a woman fashioned of black iron, heated and blazing; and those who have approached the wife of one’s guru should undertake the brahma-havrata, a severe expiatory vow.

Word by Word

• अवगूहेत्: should cover/conceal
• अवगूहेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव√गूह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; धातुः: अव√गूह् (to conceal/cover)

• स्त्रियम्: a woman
• स्त्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम्

• तप्ताम्: heated/burnt
• तप्ताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त; √तप् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; स्त्रियम् इति विशेषणम्

• दीप्ताम्: blazing
• दीप्ताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (कृदन्त; √दीप् धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; स्त्रियम् इति विशेषणम्

• कार्ष्णायसीम्: made of black iron
• कार्ष्णायसीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्ष्णायसी (प्रातिपदिक; कृष्णायस-सम्बद्ध)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; स्त्रियम् इति विशेषणम्

• कृताम्: made/formed
• कृताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; स्त्रियम् इति विशेषणम्

• गुरु-अङ्गना-गामिनः: those who go to the teacher’s wife
• गुरु-अङ्गना-गामिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गना (प्रातिपदिक) + गामिन् (कृदन्त; √गम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचनम्; समासः: (गुरोः अङ्गनां गच्छन्ति) इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; गामिन्-शब्दः विशेष्यः

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

• चरेयुः: should practice/perform
• चरेयुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; धातुः: √चर् (to practice/perform)

• ब्रह्महव्रतम्: the expiatory vow for brahma-hatya
• ब्रह्महव्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्महन् (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम्; समासः: ब्रह्महत्यायाः व्रतम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāyaścitta for grave sexual transgression (guru-patnī-gamana) through severe, body-endangering austerity (taptāyasi-strī-āliṅgana; brahma-havrata).

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra-śuddhi as prerequisites for sattva and higher pursuit; dharma as regulator of desire (kāma-niyama).

Application: Treat violations of trust/authority and sexual misconduct as requiring accountability, restitution, and sustained self-discipline; adopt structured atonement and safeguards to prevent recurrence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.52 (Prāyaścitta section; adjacent verses on Cāndrāyaṇa/Kṛcchra)

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

What is the importance of brahma-havrata in the Garuda Purana?

In this verse it is presented as a severe expiation reserved for a grave transgression—approaching the guru’s wife—indicating the Purana’s emphasis on restoring dharma through rigorous penance.

How does this verse explain consequences for major sins?

It frames consequences in terms of prescribed expiation: an intense, fearsome act (embracing a red-hot iron woman) and the undertaking of a strict vow, showing that some offenses are treated as exceptionally serious.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat teacher–student relationships and boundaries as sacred, avoid exploitation and adultery, and when ethical harm is done, pursue genuine accountability and corrective discipline rather than denial.