Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 61

Parīkṣit’s Final Absorption, Takṣaka’s Bite, Janamejaya’s Snake Sacrifice, and the Vedic Sound-Lineage

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायनशिष्या वै चरकाध्वर्यवोऽभवन् । यच्चेरुर्ब्रह्महत्यांह: क्षपणं स्वगुरोर्व्रतम् ॥ ६१ ॥

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana-śiṣyā vai carakādhvaryavo ’bhavan yac cerur brahma-hatyāṁhaḥ kṣapaṇaṁ sva-guror vratam

Translation

ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನ ಶಿಷ್ಯರು ‘ಚರಕ-ಅಧ್ವರ್ಯು’ಗಳಾಗಿ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧರಾದರು. ತಮ್ಮ ಗುರುವಿನ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣಹತ್ಯಾ ಪಾಪವನ್ನು ಕ್ಷಯಗೊಳಿಸಲು ಕಠಿಣ ವ್ರತಗಳನ್ನು ಆಚರಿಸಿ ತಪಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ಸಂಚರಿಸಿದ ಕಾರಣ ಅವರಿಗೆ ‘ಚರಕ’ ಎಂಬ ಹೆಸರು ಬಂದಿತು.

Synonyms

• vaiśampāyana-śiṣyāḥ: disciples of Vaiśampāyana
• vaiśampāyana-śiṣyāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśampāyana-śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष (वैशम्पायनस्य शिष्याः)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• caraka-adhvaryavaḥ: Caraka-adhvaryus (a Yajurvedic school)
• caraka-adhvaryavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraka-adhvaryu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (चरकाः एव अध्वर्यवः)

• abhavan: became/were
• abhavan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• yat: because
• yat: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative particle) ‘because/that’

• ceruḥ: they performed/practised
• ceruḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• brahma-hatyā-āṁhaḥ: the sin of brahmin-slaying
• brahma-hatyā-āṁhaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-hatyā-āṁhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्महत्यायाः आंहः = sin of brahmin-slaying)

• kṣapaṇam: expiation/removal
• kṣapaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣapaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• sva-guroḥ: of their own teacher
• sva-guroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva-guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य गुरुः)

• vratam: vow/observance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Caraka Adhvaryus

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about brahma-hatyā and atonement?

This verse notes that Vaiśampāyana’s disciples undertook an expiation (kṣapaṇam) for the grave sin called brahma-hatyā, showing that serious wrongdoing is addressed through prescribed atonement under proper authority.

Why are they called the Caraka Adhvaryus in Canto 12 Chapter 6?

Because Vaiśampāyana’s disciples became identified as a distinct group of Adhvaryu priests—known as the Carakas—connected with the transmission and practice of Yajur-vedic ritual tradition described in this chapter.

What is a practical lesson of guru-vrata (following the guru’s vow) today?

The verse highlights disciplined accountability: accept guidance from a qualified teacher, follow corrective practices sincerely, and treat ethical restoration as a committed vow rather than a casual apology.