Shloka 27

Agastya’s Instruction to Raghunātha (Rāma): Sin, Remorse, and the Aśvamedha Remedy

Devanagari script

प्रब्रूहि तादृशं मह्यं यादृशं पापदाहकम् । व्रतं दानं मखं किंचित्तीर्थमाराधनं महत्

Transliteration

prabrūhi tādṛśaṃ mahyaṃ yādṛśaṃ pāpadāhakam | vrataṃ dānaṃ makhaṃ kiṃcittīrthamārādhanaṃ mahat

Translation

ಪಾಪಗಳನ್ನು ದಹಿಸುವಂತಹ ಉಪಾಯವನ್ನು ನನಗೆ ಹೇಳು—ಅದು ವ್ರತವಾಗಿರಲಿ, ದಾನವಾಗಿರಲಿ, ಯಾವುದಾದರೂ ಯಜ್ಞವಾಗಿರಲಿ, ಅಥವಾ ಮಹಾತೀರ್ಥಾರಾಧನೆಯಾಗಿರಲಿ.

Word by Word

• प्रब्रूहि: tell; declare
• प्रब्रूहि: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु) उपसर्गः प्र-
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• तादृशम्: such (a thing)
• तादृशम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनम्

• यादृशम्: of what kind; such as
• यादृशम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• पापदाहकम्: sin-destroying
• पापदाहकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + दाहक (दह् धातु, ण्वुल्/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पापं दहति इति/‘sin-burning’); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• व्रतम्: vow; observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• दानम्: gift; charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• मखम्: sacrifice
• मखम्: Karma (Object/apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• किंचित्: some; any
• किंचित्: Viśeṣaṇa (Indefinite qualifier/विशेषणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय (अनिश्चितपरिमाण/indefinite particle)

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage place; sacred ford
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• आराधनम्: worship; propitiation
• आराधनम्: Karma (Object/apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ+राध् (धातु) ल्युट्/प्रातिपदिक (आराधन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• महत्: great
• महत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Unspecified (a question posed by a seeker to a teacher within the dialogue context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: किंचित्तीर्थम् = किंचित् + तीर्थम्; तीर्थमाराधनम् = तीर्थम् + आराधनम् (समासाभावः; पदसन्धिः)

FAQs

What types of sin-destroying practices are listed in this verse?

The verse lists four broad means of purification: vrata (vows/observances), dāna (charitable giving), makha/yajña (sacrificial rites), and tīrtha-ārādhana (worship at or propitiation of a sacred pilgrimage place).

Does the verse prioritize vow, charity, sacrifice, or pilgrimage worship?

No explicit ranking is stated here; the speaker asks the teacher to specify which practice (among these well-known options) is especially effective as a “burner of sins.”

What ethical lesson is implied by the verse’s framing?

It implies that spiritual life should include intentional purification through disciplined conduct (vrata), generosity (dāna), sacred duty/ritual responsibility (yajña), and reverence for holy places (tīrtha), rather than relying on mere intention without practice.