Shloka 63

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

Devanagari script

द्वादशाहोपवासेन पराकः सर्वपापहा / एकैकं वर्धयेत्पिण्डं शुक्ले कृष्णे च ह्रासयेत्

Transliteration

dvādaśāhopavāsena parākaḥ sarvapāpahā / ekaikaṃ vardhayetpiṇḍaṃ śukle kṛṣṇe ca hrāsayet

Translation

बारा दिवस उपवासाने ‘पराक’ व्रत सर्व पापांचा नाश करते. शुक्ल पक्षात दररोज पिंड वाढवावा आणि कृष्ण पक्षात क्रमाने कमी करावा.

Word by Word

• द्वादशाहोपवासेन: by (means of) a twelve-day fast
• द्वादशाहोपवासेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + अह + उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्वादश-अह-उपवासः)

• पराकः: the Parāka (austerity/fast)
• पराकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वपापहा: destroyer of all sins
• सर्वपापहा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + ह (√हन् धातु; प्रातिपदिक-निर्माण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वपापान् हन्ति इति)

• एकैकम्: each (one)
• एकैकम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (एक-एक) अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः ‘one by one/each’

• वर्धयेत्: should increase
• वर्धयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ध् (√वर्ध् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पिण्डम्: the ball (food offering)
• पिण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुक्ले: in the bright (fortnight)
• शुक्ले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (पक्षे/काले) ‘in the bright (fortnight)’

• कृष्णे: in the dark (fortnight)
• कृष्णे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (पक्षे/काले) ‘in the dark (fortnight)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• ह्रासयेत्: should decrease
• ह्रासयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ह्रस् (√ह्रस् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Ritual Type: Parvana

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Regulated by śukla/kṛṣṇa pakṣa across days; connected to a twelve-day vrata (Parāka).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Vrata (Parāka) and time-aligned offerings purify pāpa and stabilize ritual efficacy.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi as a support for higher realization; karma performed as śāstra-niyama rather than desire.

Application: Observe regulated fasting only with capacity and guidance; align offerings/observances with lunar calendar; keep consistency and purity in śrāddha-related acts.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa/Śrāddha sections on piṇḍa-dāna and lunar timing; Garuda Purana passages on vratas and prāyaścitta through upavāsa

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuḍa
• Piṇḍa
• Śukla Pakṣa
• Kṛṣṇa Pakṣa
• Parāka Vrata

FAQs

What is the importance of Parāka vrata in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that the Parāka vow—kept through a twelve-day fast—is regarded as a powerful expiation that destroys sins, making it a key austerity in ritual purification contexts.

How does this verse guide piṇḍa offerings across the lunar fortnight?

It prescribes a patterned offering: increase the piṇḍa incrementally during the bright fortnight (śukla pakṣa) and decrease it during the dark fortnight (kṛṣṇa pakṣa), aligning ritual quantity with lunar phases.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If undertaking śrāddha or a vow-based discipline, follow a structured, time-bound practice (under guidance), using consistent austerity and orderly offerings rather than irregular or impulsive ritual acts.