Shloka 19

Prāyaścitta: Catalogue of Sins, Narakas, and Graded Expiations

Kṛcchra–Cāndrāyaṇa–Japa

Devanagari script

ब्रह्महा द्वादश समा मितभुक् शुद्धिमाप्नुयात् / लोमभ्यः स्वाहेति च वा लोमप्रभृति वै तनुम्

Transliteration

brahmahā dvādaśa samā mitabhuk śuddhimāpnuyāt / lomabhyaḥ svāheti ca vā lomaprabhṛti vai tanum

Translation

ผู้ฆ่าพราหมณ์ย่อมได้ความบริสุทธิ์ด้วยการอยู่สิบสองปีด้วยอาหารอย่างจำกัด. หรือสวดมนต์ “โลมภยะห์ สวาหา” แล้วเริ่มจากขนกาย ถวายอาหุติเพื่อกายนี้เอง.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्महा: slayer of a Brahmin
• ब्रह्महा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हन् (धातु) → हा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः हन्ता)

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषणम्; ‘समा’ इति पदस्य विशेषणम् (twelve)

• समा: years
• समा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (समाः/समा—छान्दसम्); कालपरिमाणवाचक

• मित-भुक्: eating moderately
• मित-भुक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मित (कृदन्त; मा (धातु) + क्त) + भुज् (धातु) → भुक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (मितं भुङ्क्ते इति)

• शुद्धिम्: purification
• शुद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: may attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• लोमभ्यः: from the hairs
• लोमभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन

• स्वाहा: svāhā (oblatory exclamation)
• स्वाहा: Mantra/Prayoga (मन्त्रप्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वाहा (अव्यय/मन्त्रपद)
• Form: अव्यय; मन्त्रनिपात (exclamation used in oblations)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Quotation (उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• लोम-प्रभृति: starting from the hairs
• लोम-प्रभृति: Desha/Kala-Avadhi (Extent/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: लोमन् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभृति (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्यय (adverbial) अर्थः—‘लोमादारभ्य’

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/assuring particle)

• तनुम्: body
• तनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating prāyaścitta teachings to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For brahmahatyā, purification is pursued through prolonged restraint (twelve years of measured diet) or intense ritualized self-offering (homa directed to one’s own body-elements).

Vedantic Theme: Karma is counteracted by tapas and yajña; the body-mind complex is treated as an offering, cultivating disidentification and sattva.

Application: Sustained ethical rehabilitation: long-term discipline, dietary restraint, supervised vows, and reparative service; avoid quick-fix absolution.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: āśrama/ritual setting (homa space)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.105.20–21 (alternate expiations; protection of brāhmaṇa as purifier)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmaha (brahmahatyā-doer)
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the importance of prāyaścitta for brahmahatyā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that brahmahatyā is treated as a grave sin requiring long, disciplined expiation—such as twelve years of regulated living—showing that purification is tied to sustained self-restraint and prescribed rites.

How does this verse explain the path of purification after a major sin?

It presents two prāyaścitta models: (1) a long-term ethical-ascetic discipline (mitabhuk for twelve years), and (2) a mantra-based ritual act directed to one’s own body (“svāhā” offerings beginning with the hairs), indicating both conduct and rite as means of cleansing.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt sustained self-discipline—moderation in consumption, honesty, and reparative action—while seeking guidance from qualified tradition-bearers for any formal ritual practice, since the text links purification to long-term restraint and responsibility.