Shloka 29

Prāyaścitta: Catalogue of Sins, Narakas, and Graded Expiations

Kṛcchra–Cāndrāyaṇa–Japa

Devanagari script

उच्छेद्य लिङ्गं वृषणं नैरृत्यामुत्सृजोद्दिशि / प्राजापत्यं चरेत्कृच्छ्रं समा वा गुरुतल्पगः

Transliteration

ucchedya liṅgaṃ vṛṣaṇaṃ nairṛtyāmutsṛjoddiśi / prājāpatyaṃ caretkṛcchraṃ samā vā gurutalpagaḥ

Translation

गुरुतल्पगाने आपले लिंग व वृषण छेदून नैऋत्य (दक्षिण-पश्चिम) दिशेस टाकावेत; नंतर प्राजापत्य कृच्छ्र करावा, किंवा एक वर्ष कठोर प्रायश्चित्त करावे.

Word by Word

• उच्छेद्य: having cut off
• उच्छेद्य: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + √छिद् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्यय (Gerund: 'having cut off')

• लिङ्गम्: the penis
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वृषणम्: the testicle(s)
• वृषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नैरृत्याम्: in the south-west (direction)
• नैरृत्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृत्य (प्रातिपदिक; निरृति-सम्बन्धी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• उत्सृज्य: having cast off/left
• उत्सृज्य: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + √सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप् अव्यय (Gerund: 'having abandoned/left')

• उद्दिशि: in the direction
• उद्दिशि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्राजापत्यम्: the Prājāpatya penance
• प्राजापत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; व्रत/प्रायश्चित्त-नाम

• चरेत्: should perform
• चरेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• कृच्छ्रम्: a Kṛcchra penance
• कृच्छ्रम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रायश्चित्त-नाम

• समाः: years
• समाः: Karma (Extent/अवधि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; 'समाः' = years

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विकल्पार्थक

• गुरुतल्पगः: one who violates the teacher’s bed (i.e., commits adultery with guru’s wife)
• गुरुतल्पगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + तल्प + ग (प्रातिपदिक; √गम् (धातु) → ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गुरोः तल्पं गच्छति इति)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For guru-talpa (violating the teacher’s bed), expiation is extraordinarily severe: bodily renunciation and/or long prāyaścitta (Prājāpatya or year-long kṛcchra).

Vedantic Theme: Discipline of the body-mind to counteract adharma; recognition that actions imprint consequences requiring intense tapas for purification.

Application: Treat breaches of trust and abuse of power as gravest wrongs; pursue rigorous accountability and lifelong restraint (non-harm, boundaries, reparative conduct).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: directional/liminal space for disposal

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.105 (mahāpātaka expiations; guru-talpa)

Characters & Entities

• Nirṛti

FAQs

What is the importance of Prāyaścitta (atonement) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames prāyaścitta as a dharmic remedy for grave wrongdoing, prescribing specific expiations (Prājāpatya and Kṛcchra) intended to counteract heavy karmic demerit.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after committing grave sins?

By presenting a concrete expiation for a mahāpātaka-like offense, it implies that unresolved severe sins burden the jīva with painful consequences, while disciplined atonement is taught as a means to mitigate karmic fallout.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat the teaching as an ethical warning about the gravity of violating trust and sacred relationships (guru/teacher), and as a reminder to seek sincere reform, restraint, and appropriate spiritual counsel for wrongdoing.