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Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

चाण्डालकूपभाण्डेषु अज्ञानाच्चेत्पिबेज्जलम् / कुर्यात्सान्तपनं विप्रस्तदर्धञ्च विशः स्मृतम्

Transliteration

cāṇḍālakūpabhāṇḍeṣu ajñānāccetpibejjalam / kuryātsāntapanaṃ viprastadardhañca viśaḥ smṛtam

Translation

అజ్ఞానవశాత్ చాండాలుని బావి లేదా పాత్రలోని నీటిని తాగితే, బ్రాహ్మణుడు సాంతపన ప్రాయశ్చిత్తం చేయాలి; వైశ్యునికి దాని అర్ధభాగం స్మృతిలో చెప్పబడింది.

Word by Word
चाण्डालकूपभाण्डेषुin vessels/wells belonging to a Caṇḍāla
चाण्डालकूपभाण्डेषु:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootचाण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक) + भाण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; अधिकरण; ‘चाण्डालस्य कूपभाण्डे’ इत्यर्थे समाहार/निर्देश
अज्ञानात्out of ignorance
अज्ञानात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootअज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (cause)
चेत्if
चेत्:
Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचेत् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; शर्तबोधक (conditional particle)
पिबेत्should drink
पिबेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपा (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
जलम्water
जलम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootजल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
कुर्यात्should do/perform
कुर्यात्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
सान्तपनम्the Sāntapana penance
सान्तपनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसान्तपन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रायश्चित्तनाम
विप्रःa Brahmin
विप्रः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootविप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
तत्that
तत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (to ‘अर्धम्’)
अर्धम्half
अर्धम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; परिमाण
चand
च:
Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)
विशःVaiśyas
विशः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootविश् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘वैश्याः’ इत्यर्थे
स्मृतम्is declared/remembered (as prescribed)
स्मृतम्:
Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
TypeVerb
Rootस्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयवाक्ये ‘इति स्मृतम्’
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ignorance mitigates culpability but does not erase ritual fault; expiation restores purity, scaled by social duty-status.

Vedantic Theme: Avidyā as condition for error; corrective action (prayashchitta) as purification of antaḥkaraṇa for dharmic life.

Application: When harm occurs unintentionally, acknowledge it, repair it, and adopt preventive mindfulness rather than defensiveness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: well/vessel

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222 (water-contact impurities and expiations)

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda
C
Caṇḍāla
B
Brāhmaṇa
V
Vaiśya

FAQs

This verse shows that even accidental breaches of purity (like unknowingly drinking from a prohibited source) are addressed through prescribed penances, restoring ritual and ethical order rather than treating the act as irredeemable.

By emphasizing purification through expiation, it aligns with the Garuda Purana’s broader karmic framework: actions create consequences, and dharmic remedies help reduce impurity and its obstructive effects on one’s post-death journey.

Act with care regarding sources of food and water, and when mistakes occur unintentionally, respond with accountability and corrective discipline (a modern analogue to prāyaścitta), rather than denial.

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