Shloka 69

Prāyaścitta: Catalogue of Sins, Narakas, and Graded Expiations

Kṛcchra–Cāndrāyaṇa–Japa

Devanagari script

तिथिपिण्डांश्चरेद्वृद्ध्या शुक्ले शिख्यण्डसंमितान् / एकैकं ह्रासयेत्कृष्णे पिण्डं चान्द्रायणं चरेत्

Transliteration

tithipiṇḍāṃścaredvṛddhyā śukle śikhyaṇḍasaṃmitān / ekaikaṃ hrāsayetkṛṣṇe piṇḍaṃ cāndrāyaṇaṃ caret

Translation

En la quincena luminosa (śukla), deben hacerse las ofrendas diarias de piṇḍa en medida creciente—cada piṇḍa del tamaño de un huevo de pava real. En la quincena oscura (kṛṣṇa), debe disminuirse día a día, de uno en uno. Así se observa el voto de Cāndrāyaṇa mediante el piṇḍa regulado.

Word by Word

• तिथि: lunar day (tithi)
• तिथि: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — (समासपूर्वपद; ‘of lunar days’)

• पिण्डान्: balls/lumps (of food)
• पिण्डान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन — accusative plural

• चरेत्: should perform
• चरेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘should practice/perform’

• वृद्ध्या: with increase / by increasing
• वृद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — instrumental singular

• शुक्ले: in the bright half (waxing fortnight)
• शुक्ले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; ‘in the bright fortnight’

• शिख्यण्ड: peacock’s egg
• शिख्यण्ड: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिख्यण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — (समासपूर्वपद; ‘of a peacock’s egg’)

• संमितान्: measured/equal in size
• संमितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + मा (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन — accusative plural; विशेषण of पिण्डान्

• एकैकम्: one by one
• एकैकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक-एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; adverbial use ‘one by one’

• ह्रासयेत्: should reduce / cause to diminish
• ह्रासयेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ह्रस् (धातु) + णिच्
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative)

• कृष्णे: in the dark half (waning fortnight)
• कृष्णे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; ‘in the dark fortnight’

• पिण्डम्: a ball/lump (of food)
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• चान्द्रायणम्: Cāndrāyaṇa penance
• चान्द्रायणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular

• चरेत्: should perform
• चरेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa, Vinatā-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Timing: Aligned to śukla and kṛṣṇa pakṣa tithis across a lunar month (Cāndrāyaṇa pattern).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Cāndrāyaṇa: regulated intake/offering synchronized with waxing and waning moon to purify and atone.

Vedantic Theme: R̥ta (cosmic order) reflected in personal conduct; mind becomes sattvic through measured living.

Application: Use cyclical self-regulation (increase/decrease) to train desire; keep measures consistent (egg-sized standard) and follow lunar calendar precisely.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.105.70-71 (completion and mantra/bath details)

FAQs

What is the importance of Cāndrāyaṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Cāndrāyaṇa as a disciplined, lunar-based observance where the offering/measure is regulated across the fortnight—an expiatory and purificatory practice aligned with dharma.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals like piṇḍa-dāna?

It uses the technical language of piṇḍa (ritual rice-ball offering) and ties it to a vow-pattern (Cāndrāyaṇa), showing that piṇḍa can function not only in śrāddha contexts but also as a regulated prāyaścitta-style observance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow ritual disciplines under competent guidance: align religious observances with lunar timing, practice moderation and consistency, and treat vows as structured ethical-spiritual training rather than mere formality.