Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

विप्रो विप्रेण संस्पृष्ट उच्छिष्टेन कदाचन / स्नानं जप्यञ्च कर्तव्यं दिनस्यान्ते च भोजनम्

Transliteration

vipro vipreṇa saṃspṛṣṭa ucchiṣṭena kadācana / snānaṃ japyañca kartavyaṃ dinasyānte ca bhojanam

Translation

ଯଦି କେବେ ଜଣେ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଅନ୍ୟ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କ ଉଚ୍ଛିଷ୍ଟ-ସ୍ପର୍ଶରେ ସ୍ପୃଷ୍ଟ ହୁଏ, ତେବେ ସ୍ନାନ ଓ ଜପ କରିବା ଉଚିତ; ଏବଂ ଭୋଜନ ଦିନର ଶେଷରେ ମାତ୍ର କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• vipraḥ: a Brahmin
• vipraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• vipreṇa: by/with a Brahmin
• vipreṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• saṃspṛṣṭaḥ: touched/contaminated by contact
• saṃspṛṣṭaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ√spṛś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (vipraḥ)

• ucchiṣṭena: by leftover/impure food (leavings)
• ucchiṣṭena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ucchiṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• kadācana: ever/at any time
• kadācana: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• japyam: recitation (of mantra)
• japyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: japya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• kartavyam: to be done/should be performed
• kartavyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + tavya (तव्य)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (snānam/japyam)

• dinasya: of the day
• dinasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• ante: at the end
• ante: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• bhojanam: eating/meal
• bhojanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śauca (purity) and prāyaścitta through snāna and japa; regulated eating as a discipline.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi as a support for dharma and spiritual practice; purity as preparatory (sādhana) rather than ultimate.

Application: If exposed to another’s ucchiṣṭa, bathe and do japa; keep meals regulated (here: eat at day’s end) to maintain discipline and reduce impurity risks.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household/ashrama setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Dharma/Ācāra sections): śauca, ucchiṣṭa-doṣa, snāna, japa, bhojana-niyama passages nearby in 1.222

Characters & Entities

• Brahmana (Vipra)

FAQs

What is the importance of ritual purity (śauca) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats contact with ucchiṣṭa as a purity-fault and prescribes immediate purification—bath and japa—showing that śauca is maintained through specific remedial acts, not merely intention.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings on dharma?

It presents dharma as practical daily discipline (ācāra): when impurity arises through contact, one restores order through prescribed rites (snāna, japa) and regulated eating (end-of-day meal).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain mindful cleanliness in food and conduct; if a lapse occurs, respond with corrective practice—personal purification, prayer/recitation, and disciplined habits rather than negligence.