Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

क्षीरस्य द्वादश प्रोक्ता दध्नस्तु दश उच्यते / घृतस्य माषकाः पञ्च पञ्चगव्यं मलापहम्

Transliteration

kṣīrasya dvādaśa proktā dadhnastu daśa ucyate / ghṛtasya māṣakāḥ pañca pañcagavyaṃ malāpaham

Translation

క్షీరానికి పన్నెండు మాత్రలు, దధికి పది అని చెప్పబడింది. ఘృతానికి ఐదు మాషకాలు. పంచగవ్యము మలాపహం, అంటే అపవిత్రతను తొలగించేది అని ప్రకటించబడింది.

Word by Word

• क्षीरस्य: of milk
• क्षीरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Visheshana (Numeral/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक (cardinal)

• प्रोक्ताः: are stated
• प्रोक्ताः: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वच् (√वच् धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle)

• दध्नः: of curd
• दध्नः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (विशेष-रूप: दध्नः)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषबोधक-निपात (particle: 'but/indeed')

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Numeral/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• उच्यते: is said
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (√वच् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• घृतस्य: of ghee
• घृतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• माषकाः: māṣakas (measures)
• माषकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माषक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Numeral/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• पञ्चगव्यम्: pañcagavya (mixture of five cow-products)
• पञ्चगव्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च गव्यानि यस्मिन्/समूहः)

• मलापहम्: removing impurities
• मलापहम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मल + अपह (√हृ/√अपहृ धातु; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मलम् अपहन्ति इति)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Correct proportions in pañcagavya are essential; the mixture is declared mala-apaha (defilement-removing).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kāṇḍa discipline as preparatory purification; order and measure as expressions of dharma.

Application: If observing such rites, keep exactness and cleanliness; interpret ‘impurity removal’ also as commitment to ethical correction and mental clarity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual space

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana pañcagavya definitions and uses in śuddhi/prāyaścitta; Garuda Purana śauca rules around defilement (mala)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of pañcagavya in the Garuda Purana?

This verse explicitly calls pañcagavya “malāpaha”—a remover of impurity—highlighting its role as a purificatory substance in prescribed rites.

Does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals?

Yes. The Garuda Purana frequently details ritual procedures and quantities for purificatory acts connected with śrāddha/antyeṣṭi contexts; here it specifies measured amounts and identifies pañcagavya as cleansing.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow tradition with clarity: when performing purification-related rites, use prescribed measures and emphasize inner cleanliness alongside external ritual purity.