Shloka 9

An exposition on the fruits of charity and on entry into a body

Garbhotpatti, Piṇḍa-śarīra, and Antya-kāla-kriyā

Devanagari script

प्रथमे ऽहनि चाण्डाली द्वितीये ब्रह्मघातिनी / तृतीये रजकी ज्ञेया चतुर्थे ऽहनि शुध्यति

Transliteration

prathame 'hani cāṇḍālī dvitīye brahmaghātinī / tṛtīye rajakī jñeyā caturthe 'hani śudhyati

Translation

On the first day she is regarded as a caṇḍālī; on the second day, as guilty of brahmin-slaying; on the third day, she is known as a washerwoman; and on the fourth day, she becomes purified.

Word by Word

• प्रथमे: on the first
• प्रथमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘on the first (day)’—अहनि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अहनि: on the day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• चाण्डाली: a Caṇḍālī woman (outcaste)
• चाण्डाली: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; implied ‘she is’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डालिन्/चाण्डाली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• द्वितीये: on the second
• द्वितीये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अहनि इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (understood)

• ब्रह्मघातिनी: (she is) a brahmin-slayer
• ब्रह्मघातिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्+घातिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास-विग्रहः: ब्रह्मणः घातिनी (slayer of a brāhmaṇa)

• तृतीये: on the third
• तृतीये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अहनि इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (understood)

• रजकी: a washerwoman
• रजकी: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्ञेया: is to be known (as)
• ज्ञेया: Vidhi (विधि/Predicative obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive/Future passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्: ‘to be known/considered’

• चतुर्थे: on the fourth
• चतुर्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अहनि इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अहनि: on the day
• अहनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुध्यति: becomes purified
• शुध्यति: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध्/शुध्य् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थः: ‘becomes pure’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual impurity is time-graded; social/ritual status changes with prescribed days, culminating in purification.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as order (niyama) regulating embodied life; purity rules as preparatory discipline rather than ultimate reality.

Application: Follow community/śāstra-based śauca periods after polluting events; avoid rites until purification time completes.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.32 (śauca timelines and ritual eligibility)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Brahma-ghna (brahmin-slayer)

FAQs

What is the importance of ashaucha (ritual impurity) in Garuda Purana?

This verse frames a graded sequence of impurity across days, emphasizing that ritual status changes over time and culminates in śuddhi (purification) on the fourth day.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana narrative?

Indirectly: it regulates the living relatives’ purity and conduct during the preta-related period, which supports proper rites that aid the departed’s post-death transition.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Observe culturally appropriate bereavement purity practices and complete prescribed rites within the stated timeframe, maintaining restraint and ritual cleanliness until śuddhi is attained.