Garuda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 22

Prāyaścitta: Catalogue of Sins, Narakas, and Graded Expiations

Kṛcchra–Cāndrāyaṇa–Japa

Devanagari script

सरस्वतीं वा संसेव्यं धनं पात्रे समर्पयेत् / यागस्थक्षत्त्रविड्घात् चरेद्ब्रह्महणो व्रतम्

Transliteration

sarasvatīṃ vā saṃsevyaṃ dhanaṃ pātre samarpayet / yāgasthakṣattraviḍghāt caredbrahmahaṇo vratam

Translation

ଅଥବା ସରସ୍ୱତୀଙ୍କୁ ବିଧିପୂର୍ବକ ସେବନ କରି ଯୋଗ୍ୟ ପାତ୍ରକୁ ଧନ ଅର୍ପଣ କରୁ। କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ କିମ୍ବା ବୈଶ୍ୟ, ଅଥବା ଯଜ୍ଞସ୍ଥଳେ କାହାକୁ ହତ୍ୟା କଲେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣହତ୍ୟା-ପ୍ରାୟଶ୍ଚିତ୍ତ ବ୍ରତ ଆଚରଣ କରୁ।

Word by Word

• सरस्वतीम्: Sarasvatī (goddess)
• सरस्वतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• संसेव्यम्: to be served/attended
• संसेव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + सेव् (धातु) → संसेव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be served)

• धनम्: wealth, money
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पात्रे: in/into a worthy recipient (vessel/person)
• पात्रे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• समर्पयेत्: should offer/dedicate
• समर्पयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्प् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यागस्थ: situated at a sacrifice
• यागस्थ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याग + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यागे स्थः = situated in a sacrifice), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-विशेषण)

• क्षत्त्र: Kṣatra (warrior class/royalty)
• क्षत्त्र: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगानुसार), सप्तमी-एकवचन (सम्बन्धे)

• विड्घात्: from/for the killing of a Vaiśya
• विड्घात्: Apadana/Hetu (Cause/Source/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विड् + घात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विडः घातः = killing of a Vaiśya), पुँलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (अपादान/हेतु-प्रयोगः)

• चरेत्: should perform/practice
• चरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ब्रह्महणः: a Brahmin-slayer
• ब्रह्महणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + हन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः हन्ता = slayer of a Brāhmaṇa), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• व्रतम्: vow, penance
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāyaścitta: graded expiation for homicide and sacrificial killing; dāna to a worthy recipient after worship.

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra-śuddhi as prerequisites for adhikāra (fitness) in dharma and spiritual life.

Application: Seek learned guidance; perform prescribed penance proportionate to harm; combine worship, restitution (dāna), and disciplined vows rather than denial or concealment.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual arena (yajña-śālā)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Preta/Dharma sections on prāyaścitta and varṇa-based offences (general parallel themes)

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī

FAQs

What is the importance of dāna (charitable giving) in this Garuḍa Purāṇa verse?

The verse links expiation with pātra-dāna—offering wealth to a qualified recipient—presented as a remedial act alongside worship, used to lessen the burden of grave wrongdoing.

How does this verse explain prāyaścitta for serious sins?

It states that certain killings—such as slaying a Kṣatriya or Vaiśya, or killing connected with a sacrifice—require undertaking the stringent vow associated with brahmahatyā expiation.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It emphasizes accountability: seek purification through sincere worship, ethical restitution, and meaningful charity directed to genuinely deserving beneficiaries, guided by competent tradition/teachers.