Shloka 3

Dīkṣā Procedure: Homa Measures, Elemental Reconstitution, and Naming by Omen

Devanagari script

गुरुविष्णुद्विजस्त्रीणां हन्ता बध्यस्त्व(श्च)दीक्षितैः / अथ दीक्षां प्रवक्ष्यामि धर्माधर्मक्षयङ्करीम्

Transliteration

guruviṣṇudvijastrīṇāṃ hantā badhyastva(śca)dīkṣitaiḥ / atha dīkṣāṃ pravakṣyāmi dharmādharmakṣayaṅkarīm

Translation

The slayer of one’s teacher, the violator of Viṣṇu (that is, one who harms His devotee or profanes what is sacred to Him), the killer of a twice-born brāhmaṇa, or of a woman—such a one is to be bound and restrained by the initiated. Now I shall expound dīkṣā, the initiation that destroys both dharma and adharma.

Word by Word

• गुरु-विष्णु-द्विज-स्त्रीणाम्: of (one’s) guru, Viṣṇu, Brahmins, and women
• गुरु-विष्णु-द्विज-स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थः—‘गुरवः च विष्णुः च द्विजाः च स्त्रियः च’ इत्येषां

• हन्ता: killer
• हन्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun)

• बध्यः: is to be bound/punished
• बध्यः: Karta (Predicate adjective to subject/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु) → बध्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय-विशेषणम्—‘बध्यः’ (to be bound/punishable)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — विरोध/विशेषार्थः (but/indeed)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• दीक्षितैः: by the initiated (priests/initiates)
• दीक्षितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षित (प्रातिपदिक; √दिक्ष्/दीक्ष् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Discourse marker (क्रम/आरम्भ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक-निपात (then/now)

• दीक्षाम्: initiation (rite)
• दीक्षाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• धर्म-अधर्म-क्षयङ्करीम्: causing the destruction of both merit and demerit
• धर्म-अधर्म-क्षयङ्करीम्: Visheshana (Adjective to object/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक) + करिन्/करी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्—दीक्षाम् विशेषयति; समासार्थः: ‘धर्माधर्मयोः क्षयं करोति’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Dīkṣā as a radical purifier that burns up both puṇya and pāpa, pointing beyond karmic accounting toward transcendence.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kṣaya leading to fitness for jñāna; movement from dharma/adharma duality toward śānta state (beyond guṇas).

Application: Treat grave harm as requiring strict restraint and disciplined expiation; pursue authentic initiation/inner consecration aimed at uprooting karmic residues rather than merely accumulating merit.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space (diksha setting)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: general karma-phala and expiation discussions (prāyaścitta, pāpa-kṣaya); Garuda Purana sections on dīkṣā/vrata and Viṣṇu-bhakti as purifier

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Guru
• Dvija
• Stri

FAQs

What is the importance of dīkṣā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents dīkṣā as a transformative consecration that can dissolve both dharma (merit) and adharma (sin), pointing to a state beyond ordinary karmic accounting.

How does this verse relate to karma and consequences for grave sins?

It highlights certain acts as extremely grievous—killing the guru, a dvija, or a woman—and indicates social/ritual restraint by the initiated, while also transitioning to dīkṣā as a means that can neutralize karmic residues.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Uphold non-violence and reverence toward teachers and the sacred; and if pursuing spiritual discipline, seek authentic initiation and ethical conduct as the foundation for inner purification.