Shloka 101

Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय

Devanagari script

द्वितीये ऽहनि विप्रा हि यथा वै ब्रह्मघातिनी तृतीये ऽह्नि तदर्धेन चतुर्थे ऽहनि सुव्रताः

Transliteration

dvitīye 'hani viprā hi yathā vai brahmaghātinī tṛtīye 'hni tadardhena caturthe 'hani suvratāḥ

Translation

En el segundo día, oh disciplinados, la condición de culpa se dice semejante a la de quien mata a un brāhmaṇa; en el tercer día se reduce a la mitad, y en el cuarto disminuye aún más: tales gradaciones son declaradas.

Word by Word

• dvitīye ahani: on the second day

• viprāḥ: O brāhmaṇas / O sages

• hi: indeed

• yathā: as / like

• vai: certainly

• brahma-ghātinī: (state) of a brāhmaṇa-slayer / brahma-hatyā

• tṛtīye ahni: on the third day

• tad-ardhena: by half of that

• caturthe ahani: on the fourth day

• su-vratāḥ: O those of good vows / well-disciplined ones

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames purification as a graded process over days, implying that consistent Śiva-oriented discipline (vrata, japa, pūjā) progressively loosens pāśa (karmic bondage) so the worshipper approaches the Linga with increasing inner śuddhi.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Implicitly, Śiva is Pati—the liberating Lord—because sin is treated as a measurable bondage that can be diminished through dharma and Śaiva purification, culminating in fitness for grace (anugraha) rather than mere punishment.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A day-by-day prāyaścitta framework: maintaining suvrata (disciplined vows) alongside purificatory observances—typically including Śiva-pūjā, mantra-japa, fasting/regulated diet, and vrata-based restraint—so the burden of fault diminishes in stages.