Shloka 4

Dāna-vrata and the Tīrtha Circuit of Venkaṭādri

Snāna, Mantra, Naivedya

Devanagari script

ब्रह्महत्यादिपापौघो यत्र स्नानेन नश्यति / प्रत्यक्षं दृश्यते ह्यत्र स्नानं कर्तुं समुद्यतैः

Transliteration

brahmahatyādipāpaugho yatra snānena naśyati / pratyakṣaṃ dṛśyate hyatra snānaṃ kartuṃ samudyataiḥ

Translation

នៅទីនោះ បាបជាច្រើនចាប់ពី ‘ព្រហ្មហត្យា’ (ការសម្លាប់ព្រាហ្មណ៍) ត្រូវបាត់បង់ដោយការងូតទឹក។ ពិតប្រាកដណាស់ នៅទីនេះគេឃើញផ្ទាល់ថា មនុស្សដែលប្រាថ្នាចង់ងូត បានត្រៀមខ្លួនធ្វើការងូត។

Word by Word

• brahmahatyā-ādi-pāpa-oghaḥ: the mass of sins such as brahmahatyā
• brahmahatyā-ādi-pāpa-oghaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmahatyā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘ब्रह्महत्या-आदि पापानां ओघः’ = flood/mass of sins beginning with brahmahatyā

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक (relative locative adverb: where)

• snānena: by bathing
• snānena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• naśyati: perishes, is destroyed
• naśyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √naś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• pratyakṣam: directly, visibly
• pratyakṣam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pratyakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative), क्रियाविशेषण (in plain sight/directly)

• dṛśyate: is seen
• dṛśyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (particle: indeed/for)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• kartum: to do, to perform
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), ‘to do’

• samudyataiḥ: by the prepared (people)
• samudyataiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sam-ud-yata (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन; क्त (PPP) used substantively: ‘by those who are prepared/intent’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-phala can be mitigated through prescribed purificatory acts (snāna) at potent tirthas; communal testimony (‘pratyakṣa’) supports faith in the rite.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and prāyaścitta within vyavahāra; purification as preparation for higher pursuits (dharma/adhyātma).

Application: If burdened by wrongdoing, combine ritual purification with restitution, confession to conscience, and sustained ethical reform.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: tirtha-snāna-sthāna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: prāyaścitta/dāna sections where grave sins are discussed (general)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmahatya

FAQs

What is the importance of ritual bathing (snāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents snāna as a powerful purificatory act capable of destroying even grave accumulations of sin, functioning as a form of prāyaścitta (expiation) when done with intent and proper observance.

Does the verse describe a specific holy place (tīrtha) or a general practice?

The wording “yatra” (“where”) indicates a particular place known for sin-destruction through bathing, implying a tīrtha context, while also highlighting the general principle that sincere ritual bathing is a recognized means of purification.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat cleansing practices as ethical purification: bathe with prayerful intention, avoid harmful actions that create pāpa, and pair ritual acts with real-life repentance, restraint, and dharmic conduct.