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Shloka 1

Prāyaścitta for Faults (Water/Fire/Confinement), Child Culpability, and Purification in Menstruation and Illness-Contact

Devanagari script

भूदानादिनिरूपणं नाम द्विचत्वारिंशतमो ऽध्यायः श्रीविष्णुरुवाच / जलाग्निबन्धनभ्रष्टा प्रव्रज्यानाशकच्युताः / ऐन्दवाभ्यां विशुध्यन्ति दत्त्वा धेनुं तथा वृषम्

Transliteration

bhūdānādinirūpaṇaṃ nāma dvicatvāriṃśatamo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīviṣṇuruvāca / jalāgnibandhanabhraṣṭā pravrajyānāśakacyutāḥ / aindavābhyāṃ viśudhyanti dattvā dhenuṃ tathā vṛṣam

Translation

శ్రీ విష్ణువు పలికెను—జలము, అగ్ని, అన్యాయ బంధనముల దోషములవలన పతితులైనవారు, అలాగే ప్రవ్రజ్యా-ధర్మము మరియు వ్రతనియమముల నుండి చ్యుతులైనవారు, చంద్ర-సూర్య శుద్ధులచే గోవును మరియు వృషభమును దానమిచ్చి శుద్ధి పొందుదురు।

Word by Word
भूदानland-gift
भूदान:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Title member)
TypeNoun
Rootभू + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: 'gift of land' (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)
आदिetc.
आदि:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootआदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमाहार-सूचक (etc./and so on), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
निरूपणम्description, exposition
निरूपणम्:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootनिरूपण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
नामnamed
नाम:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Title marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाम (अव्यय)
Formनामार्थक-अव्यय (particle indicating title/name)
द्विचत्वारिंशतमःforty-second
द्विचत्वारिंशतमः:
विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootद्वि + चत्वारिंशत् + तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्रमवाचक (ordinal)
अध्यायःchapter
अध्यायः:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootअध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
श्रीविष्णुःLord Viṣṇu
श्रीविष्णुः:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootश्री + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: 'revered Viṣṇu'
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
जलwater
जल:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier base)
TypeNoun
Rootजल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
अग्निfire
अग्नि:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier base)
TypeNoun
Rootअग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
बन्धनbondage, imprisonment
बन्धन:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier base)
TypeNoun
Rootबन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
भ्रष्टाःfallen (from), lapsed
भ्रष्टाः:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootभ्रंश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
प्रव्रज्याrenunciation, monastic life
प्रव्रज्या:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier base)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रव्रज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
नाशकdestroyer, one who ruins
नाशक:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Qualifier base)
TypeNoun
Rootनाशक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), समासाङ्ग (compound member)
च्युताःfallen, deviated
च्युताः:
कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootच्यु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
ऐन्दवाभ्याम्by (two) aindava-offerings/rites
ऐन्दवाभ्याम्:
करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootऐन्दव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचन (Dual)
विशुध्यन्तिbecome purified
विशुध्यन्ति:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + शुध् (धातु)
Formलट् लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)
दत्त्वाhaving given
दत्त्वा:
पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla/Prior action)
TypeVerb
Rootदा (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययवत् (indeclinable verbal)
धेनुम्a cow
धेनुम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootधेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
तथाalso, likewise
तथा:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise/also)
वृषम्a bull
वृषम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootवृष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prāyaścitta and dāna as means to restore ritual and moral purity after specific lapses.

Vedantic Theme: Karma (doṣa–śuddhi) and the purificatory power of sattvic acts offered in a dharmic frame.

Application: When one violates restraints or incurs impurity, undertake appropriate expiation and compensate through ethical giving (e.g., cow/bull-dāna) under guidance of dharma authorities.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Preta-kalpa/Dharma-kanda): prāyaścitta and dāna sections; go-dāna and vṛṣa-dāna praised as purifiers in multiple adhyāyas

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
M
Moon (Soma/Chandra)
S
Sun (Surya)

FAQs

This verse presents dhenu-dāna as a direct means of purification (prāyaścitta), especially for serious lapses and ritual/ethical faults, indicating charity as a dharmic remedy.

It links specific categories of transgression (faults tied to water, fire, confinement, and lapses from renunciant/ritual discipline) with a prescribed corrective act—gifting a cow and a bull—framed as lunar and solar purification.

Treat harm done through negligence or misuse of essential forces (like water/fire/power over others) as requiring restitution: practice responsible conduct, support ethical charities/care for cattle or equivalent welfare causes, and restore disciplined spiritual practice.

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