Shloka 21

Prāyaścitta for Mahāpātakas: Liquor, Theft, Sexual Transgression, Contact with the Fallen, and Homicide

Devanagari script

ब्रह्महत्या सुरापानं स्तेयं गुर्वङ्गनागमः / कृत्वा तैश्चापि संसर्गं ब्राह्मणः कामकारतः

Transliteration

brahmahatyā surāpānaṃ steyaṃ gurvaṅganāgamaḥ / kṛtvā taiścāpi saṃsargaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ kāmakārataḥ

Translation

కామవశంగా స్వేచ్ఛతో ఒక బ్రాహ్మణుడు బ్రహ్మహత్య, సురాపానం, చౌర్యం, గురుపత్నీగమనం చేయడమేగాక, అలాంటి దోషులతో తెలిసికూడా సాంగత్యం చేస్తే, అతడు మహాపాపానికి పాత్రుడగును.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्महत्या: brahmin-slaying
• ब्रह्महत्या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्महत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (निर्देश), एकवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मणः हत्या (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सुरापानम्: drinking liquor
• सुरापानम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरापान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (निर्देश), एकवचन; समासः—सुरायाः पानम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• स्तेयम्: theft
• स्तेयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (निर्देश), एकवचन

• गुरु-अङ्गना-आगमः: approaching the teacher’s wife (adultery)
• गुरु-अङ्गना-आगमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + अङ्गना + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (निर्देश), एकवचन; समासः—गुरोः अङ्गना (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तस्याः आगमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कृत्वा: having committed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having done/committed’

• तैः: with those
• तैः: Sahakarana (सहकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (and)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• संसर्गम्: association/contact
• संसर्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणः: a brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• कामकारतः: out of lust/at will
• कामकारतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कामकारतस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from/through acting by desire’; हेत्वर्थे (causal sense)

Speaker

Kurma Purana narrator (Purāṇic discourse on dharma and prāyaścitta; speaker varies by recension, presented as authoritative śāstric instruction)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

This verse is primarily dharma-śāstra in tone: it does not directly define Ātman, but it implies that desire-driven action (kāma-kārataḥ) veils discernment and leads to heavy karmic bondage, for which purification is required.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific meditation is taught here; rather, it sets the ethical floor for spiritual life by condemning mahāpātakas and even “contaminating association” (saṃsarga). Such restraint aligns with yogic yama-niyama and the purity prerequisites emphasized in Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-dharma teaching.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; its contribution to the Purāṇa’s synthesis is indirect—establishing shared dharmic standards (sin, purity, atonement) that undergird both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths in the Kurma Purana.