Shloka 3

Prāyaścitta for Faults (Water/Fire/Confinement), Child Culpability, and Purification in Menstruation and Illness-Contact

Devanagari script

अतो बालनरस्यापि नापराधो न पातकम् / राजदण्डो न तस्यास्ति प्रायश्चित्तं न विद्यते

Transliteration

ato bālanarasyāpi nāparādho na pātakam / rājadaṇḍo na tasyāsti prāyaścittaṃ na vidyate

Translation

Oleh itu, walaupun bagi seorang kanak-kanak, tiada kesalahan yang boleh dipersalahkan dan tiada dosa berat; tiada hukuman raja dikenakan ke atasnya, dan tiada prāyaścitta yang ditetapkan.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: Therefore/Hence
• ataḥ: Hetu (Cause/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अतस्)
• Form: Adverb (Tasil suffix)

• bālanarasya: of the boy/child
• bālanarasya: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālanara (बालनर)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• api: even/also
• api: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अपि)
• Form: Conjunction/Particle

• na: not
• na: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: Negative Particle

• aparādhaḥ: offense/crime
• aparādhaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aparādha (अपराध)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• na: not
• na: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: Negative Particle

• pātakam: sin
• pātakam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātaka (पातक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• rājadaṇḍaḥ: king's punishment
• rājadaṇḍaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājadaṇḍa (राजदण्ड)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• na: not
• na: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: Negative Particle

• tasya: for him/his
• tasya: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• asti: is/exists
• asti: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस्)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• prāyaścittam: atonement
• prāyaścittam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāyaścitta (प्रायश्चित्त)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular

• na: not
• na: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: Negative Particle

• vidyate: exists/is found
• vidyate: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (विद्)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Atmanepada, 3rd Person, Singular

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: A child lacks full culpability; hence neither royal punishment nor prāyaścitta is applicable in the same way.

Vedantic Theme: Adhikāra-bheda (difference in eligibility) and intention/capacity as determinants of karmic accountability.

Application: Apply proportional responsibility: educate and protect minors; reserve punitive/ritual burdens for those with mature agency.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana dharma discussions on prāyaścitta eligibility and doṣa assessment

Characters & Entities

• Raja (king)
• Daṇḍa (punishment)
• Prāyaścitta (expiation)

FAQs

What is the importance of childhood accountability in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that a child is not treated as bearing culpable offense (aparādha) or full sin (pātaka), so neither worldly punishment nor prescribed expiation is applied in the same way as for an accountable adult.

How does this verse relate to sin, punishment, and afterlife teachings in the Garuda Purana?

By distinguishing aparādha/pātaka from non-culpable acts, the text frames punishments and post-death consequences as tied to moral agency; where agency is absent (childhood), punitive and expiatory frameworks are not invoked.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Assess responsibility with maturity and intent: apply guidance and correction to children, but avoid equating immature actions with deliberate wrongdoing that warrants harsh punishment or ritualized atonement.