Shloka 2

Prāyaścitta for Food-Contact, Social Contact, Aśauca Periods, and Formal Penance Systems

Devanagari script

यः शूद्रोच्छिष्टसंस्पृष्टं प्रमादाद्भक्षयेद्द्विजः / अहोरात्रोषितो भूत्वा पञ्चगव्येन शुध्यति

Transliteration

yaḥ śūdrocchiṣṭasaṃspṛṣṭaṃ pramādādbhakṣayeddvijaḥ / ahorātroṣito bhūtvā pañcagavyena śudhyati

Translation

Si un dvija (deux fois né), par négligence, mange une nourriture touchée par les restes (ucchiṣṭa) d’un Śūdra, alors, après avoir jeûné un jour et une nuit, il se purifie en prenant le pañcagavya.

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative pronoun)

• शूद्र: of a Śūdra
• शूद्र: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (genitive sense)

• उच्छिष्ट: leftover food/impurity
• उच्छिष्ट: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• संस्पृष्टम्: touched/contaminated
• संस्पृष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+स्पृश् (धातु) → संस्पृष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘शूद्रोच्छिष्टसंस्पृष्टम्’ = शूद्र-उच्छिष्टेन संस्पृष्टम् (touched/contaminated by Śūdra’s leftovers)

• प्रमादात्: from negligence
• प्रमादात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/हेतु), एकवचन; कारणार्थ (out of negligence)

• भक्षयेत्: should eat
• भक्षयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brahmin etc.)
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अहोरात्र: day and night
• अहोरात्र: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (अहः + रात्रि)

• उषितः: having stayed (for)
• उषितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस् (धातु) → उषित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘अहोरात्रोषितः’ = अहोरात्रं उषितः (having stayed for a day and night)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक (having become)

• पञ्चगव्येन: with pañcagavya (five cow-products)
• पञ्चगव्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक) + गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्चानां गव्यानां समाहारः)

• शुध्यति: is purified
• शुध्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद/परस्मैपद-प्रयोगभेद (here: becomes purified)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāyaścitta for accidental transgression: negligence in purity rules requires measured fasting and pañcagavya to regain śuddhi.

Vedantic Theme: Discipline (tapas) and corrective action reduce karmic blemish and re-establish sattvic order; emphasis on intentionality (pramāda) and remediation.

Application: When one violates a personal ethical boundary through carelessness, adopt a concrete corrective plan: pause/fast (restraint), cleanse habits, and recommit to mindful conduct.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/ritual setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana prāyaścitta-kāṇḍa: graded expiations for food-contact impurities; pañcagavya as recurring purifier

Characters & Entities

• Shudra
• Dvija
• Panchagavya

FAQs

What is the importance of pañcagavya in Garuda Purana purification rites?

This verse presents pañcagavya as a defined expiation (prāyaścitta) that restores ritual purity after an accidental impurity connected with food contact.

How does this verse explain sin versus negligence in dharma?

It distinguishes a lapse done from pramāda (carelessness) and prescribes a specific, limited penance—fasting for a day and night followed by pañcagavya—rather than treating it as an intentional grave offense.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain mindfulness and cleanliness in food practices; when mistakes occur, respond with accountability, restraint (self-discipline), and a sincere corrective observance consistent with one’s tradition.