Shloka 42

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas: Liquor, Theft, Sexual Transgression, Contact with the Fallen, and Homicide

Devanagari script

सावित्रीं च जपेच्चैव नित्यं क्रोधविवर्जितः / नदीतीरेषु तीर्थेषु तस्मात् पापाद् विमुच्यते

Transliteration

sāvitrīṃ ca japeccaiva nityaṃ krodhavivarjitaḥ / nadītīreṣu tīrtheṣu tasmāt pāpād vimucyate

Translation

ക്രോധം വിട്ട് നിത്യവും സാവിത്രി (ഗായത്രി) ജപിക്കണം; നദീതീരങ്ങളിലെ തീർത്ഥങ്ങളിൽ ഇങ്ങനെ ചെയ്താൽ ആ പാപത്തിൽ നിന്ന് വിമുക്തനാകും.

Word by Word

• सावित्रीम्: the Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī) mantra
• सावित्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सावित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (only/indeed)

• नित्यम्: daily
• नित्यम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative)

• क्रोध-विवर्जितः: free from anger
• क्रोध-विवर्जितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध + विवर्जित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (क्रोधेन विवर्जितः/क्रोधं विवर्जितः)

• नदी-तीरेषु: on river-banks
• नदी-तीरेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी + तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: नद्याः तीरम्)

• तीर्थेषु: at sacred fords/places
• तीर्थेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: from that
• तस्मात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पापात्: from sin
• पापात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विमुच्यते: is completely freed
• विमुच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Traditional narration context: a Purāṇic teacher (Sūta/Vyāsa line) conveying Kurma Purana’s dharma-teaching on japa and tīrtha; specific speaker not explicit from the single verse.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī)
• Tīrtha
• Nadī (sacred rivers)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it emphasizes inner purification (angerlessness) and mantra-japa as prerequisites for clarity of consciousness, through which knowledge of the Self becomes attainable; sin is treated as an obscuration removable by disciplined practice.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Mantra-yoga in the form of daily Sāvitrī (Gāyatrī) japa, coupled with ethical restraint (krodha-vivarjana) and tīrtha-sevā/pilgrimage discipline—an integrated sādhanā aligning conduct, speech (mantra), and sacred space.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Not explicitly; however, the Kurma Purana’s synthesis appears in its shared dharma-sādhanā framework—mantra, self-control, and tīrtha—practices honored across both Shaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaiṣṇava traditions as means to purification and liberation from pāpa.