Shloka 19

स्वाध्याय-योगोपदेशः तथा केशिध्वज-खाण्डिक्य-उपाख्यानम्

Yoga through Study and Restraint; The Keśidhvaja–Khāṇḍikya Narrative Frame

Devanagari script

प्रायश्चित्तं स चेत् पृष्टो वदिष्यति रिपुर् मम ततश् चाविकलो यागो मुनिश्रेष्ठ भविष्यति

Transliteration

prāyaścittaṃ sa cet pṛṣṭo vadiṣyati ripur mama tataś cāvikalo yāgo muniśreṣṭha bhaviṣyati

Translation

If he is questioned, that foe of mine will surely declare the proper expiation; then, O best of sages, the sacrifice will proceed unbroken, its rite restored to wholeness.

Word by Word

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation, atonement
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular); समासः—प्रायः + चित्तम् (तत्पुरुष)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: 'if')

• पृष्टः: asked
• पृष्टः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृच्छ् (धातु) + त (क्त, कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• वदिष्यति: will say
• वदिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person singular, will say)

• रिपुः: the enemy
• रिपुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive, Singular)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: 'then/thereafter')

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

• अविकलः: unimpaired, complete
• अविकलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• यागः: sacrifice, rite
• यागः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• मुनिश्रेष्ठ: O best of sages
• मुनिश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative/Nominative form used in address), एकवचन; समासः—मुनिषु श्रेष्ठः (षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person singular, will be)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya; verse voiced within a ritual-narrative frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When a rite is impeded, proper prāyaścitta restores ritual integrity so dharma may proceed without rupture.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: When errors occur in duty or practice, seek corrective steps rather than abandoning the undertaking.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma as service to the Lord is maintained through ordained means of correction, preserving the relationship of jīva’s action to Īśvara.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• a rival/enemy (ripu)
• yajña (sacrificial rite)

FAQs

What is the significance of prāyaścitta (expiation) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents expiation as the means by which a flawed rite is made whole again, ensuring the yajña proceeds without defect and dharmic order is restored.

How does Sage Parāśara frame the correction of a disrupted sacrifice?

He emphasizes that once the proper expiation is stated (even by an adversary when compelled to answer), the ritual’s integrity returns and the sacrifice becomes avikala—complete and uninterrupted.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Though Vishnu is not named in this verse, the puranic framework treats yajña and its proper completion as aligned with Vishnu’s cosmic sovereignty—ritual order mirrors universal order upheld by the Supreme.