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Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

प्राजापत्यादिभिर्द्रष्टा स्त्री शुध्येत्तु द्विभोजनात् / उच्छिष्टोच्छिष्टसंस्पृष्टंशुना शूद्रेण वा द्विजः

Transliteration

prājāpatyādibhirdraṣṭā strī śudhyettu dvibhojanāt / ucchiṣṭocchiṣṭasaṃspṛṣṭaṃśunā śūdreṇa vā dvijaḥ

Translation

ప్రాజాపత్యాది ప్రాయశ్చిత్తాల ద్వారా పరిశీలింపబడిన స్త్రీ రెండు భోజనాలు చేయడం వల్ల శుద్ధి పొందుతుంది. ఉచ్ఛిష్టం లేదా ఉచ్ఛిష్టస్పర్శితుడు, లేదా కుక్క లేదా శూద్రుడు తాకిన ద్విజుడు శుద్ధి పొందుతాడు।

Word by Word
प्राजापत्यादिभिःby (penances) such as prājāpatya
प्राजापत्यादिभिः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootप्राजापत्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—प्राजापत्य-आदि; करणत्वे प्रयोग
द्रष्टाone who should observe/perform (observer)
द्रष्टा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Root√दृश् (धातु) → द्रष्टृ (कर्तृवाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)
स्त्रीa woman
स्त्री:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
शुध्येत्should become purified
शुध्येत्:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√शुध् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)
द्विभोजनात्from (the penance of) two meals (a day)
द्विभोजनात्:
Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (two meals)
उच्छिष्टोच्छिष्टसंस्पृष्टम्(one) touched by leftover/impure remnants
उच्छिष्टोच्छिष्टसंस्पृष्टम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootउच्छिष्ट + उच्छिष्ट + संस्पृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—उच्छिष्ट-उच्छिष्ट-संस्पृष्ट (contact with leftovers/impure remnants); विशेषण
शुनाby a dog
शुना:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootश्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (वैकल्पिकरूप: शुना)
शूद्रेणby a Śūdra
शूद्रेण:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
वाor
वा:
Sambandha/Alternative (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)
द्विजःa twice-born (Brahmin etc.)
द्विजः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śauca and prāyaścitta: purification after contact with ucchiṣṭa, dog, or certain persons; graded remedies (Prājāpatya etc.).

Vedantic Theme: External purity as support for inner sattva; karma-kāṇḍa discipline as preparatory citta-śuddhi.

Application: Observe hygiene/ritual cleanliness; when boundaries are crossed, follow proportionate corrective observances rather than despair or denial.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/social

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222 (śauca/prāyaścitta rules for contact impurities)

Characters & Entities
P
Prajapatya
S
Shudra
D
Dvija

FAQs

The verse codifies practical śauca (purity) rules and light expiations (prāyaścitta) to restore ritual fitness after specific contacts such as ucchiṣṭa or certain touch-based impurities.

Garuda Purana links dharma to both inner conduct and outer discipline; such rules maintain eligibility for rites (daily and funerary) that are repeatedly emphasized as duty-bound actions with karmic significance.

Treat it as a traditional guideline for cleanliness and ritual readiness: avoid contamination of food and vessels, and when a lapse occurs, follow a simple corrective routine consistent with one’s tradition and community practice.

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