Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

चारयेत्त्रीणि कृच्छाणि त्रीणि चान्द्रायणानि वै / जातकर्मादिसंस्कारं वसिष्ठो मुनिरब्रवीत्

Transliteration

cārayettrīṇi kṛcchāṇi trīṇi cāndrāyaṇāni vai / jātakarmādisaṃskāraṃ vasiṣṭho munirabravīt

Translation

Hendaklah dilakukan tiga kali tapa Kṛcchra dan, sesungguhnya, tiga kali amalan Cāndrāyaṇa; demikianlah resi Vasiṣṭha menetapkan agar saṃskāra bermula dengan Jātakarma dilaksanakan.

Word by Word

• चारयेत्: should perform/should observe
• चारयेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु) → चारय (णिच्/causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: ‘should cause to be performed/should perform’)

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• कृच्छाणि: kṛcchra penances
• कृच्छाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• चान्द्रायणानि: cāndrāyaṇa observances
• चान्द्रायणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चान्द्रायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphatic)

• जातकर्मादिसंस्कारम्: the rite(s) such as jātakarma
• जातकर्मादिसंस्कारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जातकर्म + आदि + संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—जातकर्म-आदि- संस्कार (rites beginning with jātakarma)

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; वसिष्ठस्य विशेषणार्थे समानाधिकरण

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating traditional injunctions attributed to Sage Vasiṣṭha) to Garuda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāyaścitta (Kṛcchra, Cāndrāyaṇa) as means to restore eligibility for saṃskāras; authority of Vasiṣṭha in prescribing rites.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa as citta-śuddhi (purification of mind) enabling higher pursuits; dharma as purifier of saṃskāra and intention.

Application: When ritual lapse/impurity is suspected, undertake prescribed penances under guidance, then perform life-cycle rites correctly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/ritual enclosure

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222 (prāyaścitta/śauca sequence around saṃskāras)

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

What is the importance of Kṛcchra and Cāndrāyaṇa in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents them as formal prāyaścitta (expiatory disciplines) to restore ritual purity and dharmic order when saṃskāras are to be duly established, beginning from Jātakarma.

How does this verse relate to the soul’s journey described in the Garuda Purana?

By emphasizing prāyaścitta and saṃskāras, it points to the Garuda Purana’s broader theme that dharmic discipline and proper rites reduce demerit (pāpa) and support auspicious post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat life-cycle rites and ethical discipline as corrective practice: when duties are missed, adopt sincere austerity, regulated conduct, and guidance from competent tradition to realign one’s dharma.