Shloka 4
Determination of Expiations: Purification after Forbidden Food, Impurity, and Transgression
ब्राह्मणान्भोजयित्वा तु शुद्ध्यत्यत्र न संशयः । चांडालान्नं जलं चैव ज्ञानतोऽपि विपत्तिषु
brāhmaṇānbhojayitvā tu śuddhyatyatra na saṃśayaḥ | cāṃḍālānnaṃ jalaṃ caiva jñānato'pi vipattiṣu
ബ്രാഹ്മണരെ ഭോജനിപ്പിച്ചാൽ അവൻ ഇവിടെ ശുദ്ധനാകും—ഇതിൽ സംശയമില്ല. എന്നാൽ വിപത്തിന്റെ സമയത്ത്, അറിഞ്ഞിട്ടും ചാണ്ഡാലന്റെ അന്നവും ജലവും (എടുക്കേണ്ടിവന്നാൽ) അത് സ്വീകര്യമാണ്.
Unspecified (context-dependent within Brahma-khaṇḍa narration)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ब्राह्मणान्भोजयित्वा → ब्राह्मणान् भोजयित्वा; शुद्ध्यत्यत्र → शुद्ध्यति अत्र; ज्ञानतोऽपि → ज्ञानतः अपि.
FAQs
It teaches that feeding brāhmaṇas is a purifying act, while also acknowledging Āpaddharma—during calamity, survival needs can override normal restrictions regarding food and water.
To indicate an exception under distress (vipatti): when life or basic survival is at stake, one may accept what is necessary even if it would normally be avoided.
It balances ritual/disciplinary purity with compassion and practicality: uphold dharma through generous acts like feeding the worthy, but do not let rigid rules cause harm in genuine emergencies.