Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

अज्ञानात्प्राश्य विण्मूत्रं सुरासंस्पृष्टमेव च / पुनः संस्कारमायान्ति त्रयो वर्णा द्विजातयः

Transliteration

ajñānātprāśya viṇmūtraṃ surāsaṃspṛṣṭameva ca / punaḥ saṃskāramāyānti trayo varṇā dvijātayaḥ

Translation

Se, por ignorância, ingerirem fezes ou urina, ou mesmo algo que tenha tocado bebida alcoólica, então os dvija (duas vezes nascidos) das três varṇa superiores devem passar novamente pela reconsagração purificadora (saṃskāra).

Word by Word

• अज्ञानात्: from ignorance
• अज्ञानात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (because of ignorance)

• प्राश्य: having eaten
• प्राश्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√अश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• विण्मूत्रम्: feces and urine
• विण्मूत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विण्-मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक; विण् + मूत्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (feces and urine as a set)

• सुरासंस्पृष्टम्: touched/contaminated by liquor
• सुरासंस्पृष्टम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरा-संस्पृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; सुरा + संस्पृष्ट (√स्पृश् + क्त))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषण (qualifying विण्मूत्रम्)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (indeed/just)

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

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• संस्कारम्: purificatory rite/sacrament
• संस्कारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

• आयान्ति: they come/attain
• आयान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying वर्णाः)

• वर्णाः: social classes (varṇas)
• वर्णाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद

• द्विजातयः: the twice-born (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya)
• द्विजातयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि-जाति (प्रातिपदिक; द्वि + जाति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘द्विर्जाताः’ (twice-born)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Accidental ingestion of highly impure substances (feces/urine) or liquor-contact requires renewed saṃskāra for the twice-born of the three varṇas.

Vedantic Theme: Śauca (purity) as a support for sattva and Vedic discipline; external purity as a scaffold for inner clarity (not identical with liberation).

Application: When boundaries are violated unintentionally, respond with transparent corrective steps and recommitment to standards; distinguish ignorance from malice while still repairing consequences.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: purity/impurity rules and re-purification measures for dvijas recur in dharma sections

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuḍa
• Dvijas
• Varṇas

FAQs

What is the importance of ritual purification in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse treats purity as a safeguard for dharma: even accidental grave impurity requires renewed saṁskāra so the dvija may return to Vedic-ritual fitness.

Does the verse describe sin or accidental fault (ajñāna)?

It explicitly states ajñāna (ignorance/accident); the remedy is not punishment but re-sanctification—restoring ritual eligibility through prescribed rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain carefulness in food and contact; if a serious lapse occurs unintentionally, respond with corrective discipline—seek appropriate guidance, perform purification, and recommit to ethical restraint.