Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

भुक्त्वोपविष्टो ऽनाचान्तश्चण्डालं यदि संस्पृशेत् / गायत्त्र्यष्टसहस्रन्तु द्रुपदां वा शतं जपेत्

Transliteration

bhuktvopaviṣṭo 'nācāntaścaṇḍālaṃ yadi saṃspṛśet / gāyattryaṣṭasahasrantu drupadāṃ vā śataṃ japet

Translation

ഭക്ഷണം കഴിച്ച് ഇരുന്ന് ആചമനം ചെയ്യാതെ ആരെങ്കിലും ചണ്ഡാലനെ സ്പർശിച്ചാൽ, പ്രായശ്ചിത്തമായി ഗായത്രി മന്ത്രം എട്ടായിരം പ്രാവശ്യം ജപിക്കണം; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ‘ദ്രുപദാ’ സ്തുതി നൂറു പ്രാവശ്യം ജപിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund)

• उपविष्टः: (being) seated
• उपविष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• अनाचान्तः: not having sipped/rinsed (after eating)
• अनाचान्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्-आचान्त (प्रातिपदिक; आचम्/आचान्त from √चम्/आचम् ‘to rinse’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/निषेध (not rinsed/without sipping)

• चण्डालम्: a Caṇḍāla
• चण्डालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha/Avyaya (condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त-निपातः

• संस्पृशेत्: should touch
• संस्पृशेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• गायत्र्यष्टसहस्रम्: eight thousand (Gāyatrī recitations)
• गायत्र्यष्टसहस्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री + अष्ट + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गायत्र्याः अष्टसहस्रम् = eight thousand (recitations) of Gāyatrī)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Avyaya (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः

• द्रुपदाम्: (of) drupadā verses
• द्रुपदाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुपदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; ‘द्रुपदा’ = मन्त्रपदा/ऋचः (mantric verses)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Avyaya (disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपातः (or)

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (numeral used substantively)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Neglect of ācamana amplifies impurity risk; mantra-japa functions as prāyaścitta restoring ritual fitness.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda (mantra) as purificatory power: disciplined repetition reshapes mind and karmic residue, re-establishing sattva and adhikāra.

Application: Maintain small daily rites (like mindful cleansing after meals); if neglected, compensate with focused recitation/meditation and corrective routine.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222 (mantra-japa as expiation alongside fasting penances)

Characters & Entities

• Gayatri
• Drupada
• Chandala

FAQs

What is the importance of ācamana (ritual sipping) in Garuda Purana purification rules?

This verse treats ācamana as a key boundary-marker of ritual cleanliness after eating; neglecting it makes subsequent contact with a ritually impure person require prāyaścitta through mantra-japa.

Does this verse describe the soul’s journey after death or Yama’s punishments?

No. This verse belongs to the dharma/ācāra stream of the Garuda Purana and focuses on ritual purity and expiation (prāyaścitta), not the post-death route to Yama’s realm.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It emphasizes mindful transitions after meals (cleanliness and composure) and, when one violates one’s chosen discipline, restoring integrity through sincere corrective practice (such as prayer/recitation and renewed observance).