Shloka 71

Devanagari script

चाषान्मत्स्यात्रक्तपादञ्चग्द्ध्वा वै कामतो नरः / बल्लूरं कामतो जग्द्ध्वा सोप वासस्त्र्यहं भवेत्

Transliteration

cāṣānmatsyātraktapādañcagddhvā vai kāmato naraḥ / ballūraṃ kāmato jagddhvā sopa vāsastryahaṃ bhavet

Translation

Bila seseorang karena nafsu memakan gagak, ikan, atau burung berkaki merah, dan karena nafsu pula memakan ballūra (daging kering), hendaknya ia menjalani penebusan tiga hari berupa makan sup/kuah sayur dan berpuasa.

Word by Word

• चाषान्: cāṣa birds (a kind of bird)
• चाषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• मत्स्य: fish
• मत्स्य: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (stem used in compound)

• अत्रक्त: bloodless; without blood
• अत्रक्त: Samāsa-aṅga (Qualifier in compound/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (stem used in compound); नञ्-समास/negative adjective

• पादम्: atraktapāda (a creature/bird with bloodless feet)
• पादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अत्रक्तः पादः यस्य/अत्रक्तपादः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/coordination particle)

• जग्ध्वा: having eaten
• जग्ध्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; धातु: भक्ष्/जघ् (to eat)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipāta (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/emphatic particle)

• कामतः: deliberately; by desire
• कामतः: Hetu/Prayojana (Motive/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्यय: कामतः = इच्छया/by desire)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बल्लूरम्: ballūra (a kind of meat/animal; specific item)
• बल्लूरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल्लूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कामतः: deliberately
• कामतः: Hetu/Prayojana (Motive/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्यय)

• जग्ध्वा: having eaten
• जग्ध्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; धातु: भक्ष्/जघ्

• सोपवासः: together with fasting; observing a fast
• सोपवासः: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (उपवासेन सह/सहितः)

• त्र्यहम्: for three days
• त्र्यहम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रि + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (कालवाचक: त्र्यहम् = for three days)

• भवेत्: should become; would be
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदी

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Intentional (kāmataḥ) transgression in diet requires prāyaścitta; desire-driven acts intensify culpability and demand corrective discipline.

Vedantic Theme: Governance of rāga (desire) as a prerequisite for purity of karma; purification of conduct supports sattva and spiritual progress.

Application: If one knowingly violates dietary prohibitions, undertake a defined expiation (three days of yūṣa/vegetable broth with fasting) and recommit to restraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96.70 (ineffective offerings/food taboos); Garuda Purana 1.96.72 (Cāndrāyaṇa for certain foods; śrāddha exception); Garuda Purana 1.96.73 (unlawful killing leading to naraka; later reform)

FAQs

What is the importance of prāyaścitta for food-related lapses in the Garuda Purana?

This verse shows that voluntary consumption of prohibited/impure foods is treated as a dharmic fault, and a defined expiation (three days with regulated intake such as soup and fasting) is prescribed to restore ritual and ethical purity.

How does this verse relate to karma and accountability?

By specifying kāmataḥ (“out of desire/voluntarily”), the verse highlights intention as karmically significant; deliberate indulgence calls for a stronger corrective discipline through prāyaścitta.

What is a practical application of this teaching today?

Maintain mindful restraint in diet and habits; if one knowingly violates a personal or religious discipline, adopt a short period of self-regulation (simplified food, fasting, and reflection) to re-align conduct with dharma.