Shloka 7

Devanagari script

समुद्धृत्योदकं पाणौ जप्त्वा च द्रुपदां क्षिपेत् / त्रिपडष्टौ द्वादशधा वर्तयेदघमर्पणम्

Transliteration

samuddhṛtyodakaṃ pāṇau japtvā ca drupadāṃ kṣipet / tripaḍaṣṭau dvādaśadhā vartayedaghamarpaṇam

Translation

Alzando agua en la palma de la mano y, tras recitar el mantra, debe arrojarse al suelo. Así, realizando el ‘tripadāṣṭa’ en una secuencia de doce veces, se cumple la ofrenda de aghāmarpaṇa, que transfiere/disipa el pecado.

Word by Word

• samuddhṛtya: having lifted up
• samuddhṛtya: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-ud-√hṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• udakam: water
• udakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neuter accusative singular)

• pāṇau: in the hand
• pāṇau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन (masculine locative singular)

• japtvā: having recited (muttered)
• japtvā: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √jap (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• drupadām: (a) drupadā (ritual formula/verse-name)
• drupadām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: drupadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (feminine accusative singular)

• kṣipet: should cast/throw
• kṣipet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṣip (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/विधान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (optative, 3rd sg; ‘should throw’)

• tripaṭ-aṣṭau: (as) tripaṭ and eight (i.e., counts/units)
• tripaṭ-aṣṭau: Measure (परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tripaṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + aṣṭau (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (समाहार/इतरेतर), द्वितीया (2nd), द्विवचन/बहुवचन-प्रयोगः; संख्या-सूचक (dvandva numeral expression; used as count)

• dvādaśadhā: twelvefold
• dvādaśadhā: Modifier (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + dhā (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner: ‘in twelve ways’)

• vartayet: should perform/execute
• vartayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛt (धातु; causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (optative, 3rd sg; causative ‘should perform/turn’)

• agha-marpaṇam: sin-offering / expiation rite
• agha-marpaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agha (प्रातिपदिक) + marpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव (neuter accusative singular)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mantra-infused water (udaka) and prescribed sequence (tripadāṣṭa, twelvefold) function as prāyaścitta—ritual action that neutralizes pāpa through intention, sound, and symbolic offering.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as citta-śuddhi; ritual as a means to attenuate pāpa-vāsanā and prepare for higher knowledge.

Application: Perform sandhyā-related aghāmarpaṇa with correct sankalpa, mantra, and gesture; emphasize cleanliness, attention, and consistency over mechanical repetition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.36 (context: sandhyā, aghāmarpaṇa, gāyatrī-japa as prāyaścitta)

FAQs

What is the importance of aghāmarpaṇa in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse presents aghāmarpaṇa as a concrete expiatory act: mantra-recited water is ritually cast to the ground to symbolically transfer/dispense sin and restore ritual purity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through prāyaścitta so one’s karmic burden is reduced—an essential preparatory discipline in the Purāṇic framework that affects post-death outcomes and the subtle journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the principle: pair repentance and ethical correction with disciplined practice (japa, cleanliness, and simple water-offering rites as taught by one’s tradition) to cultivate accountability and reduce harmful tendencies.