Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

चाण्डालश्वपचैर्वापि विण्मूत्रे तु कृते द्विजाः / प्रायश्चित्तं त्रिरात्रं स्यात्पराकश्चान्त्यजागतौ

Transliteration

cāṇḍālaśvapacairvāpi viṇmūtre tu kṛte dvijāḥ / prāyaścittaṃ trirātraṃ syātparākaścāntyajāgatau

Translation

หากจัณฑาลหรือศฺวปจะทำให้สถานที่แปดเปื้อนด้วยอุจจาระหรือปัสสาวะ สำหรับผู้เป็นทวิชะกำหนดการชดใช้สามคืน; และหากมีการสัมผัสกับอันตฺยชะ ให้ทำพรต ‘ปรากะ’ เป็นการชดใช้.

Word by Word

• चाण्डालश्वपचैः: by Caṇḍālas and dog-cookers (outcastes)
• चाण्डालश्वपचैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाण्डाल + श्वपच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (चाण्डालैः श्वपचैः च)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Avyaya (disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपातः

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha/Avyaya (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• विण्मूत्रे: in feces and urine
• विण्मूत्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विण् + मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (विण् च मूत्रं च)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Avyaya (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः

• कृते: when (it is) done/occurred
• कृते: Adhikarana (circumstantial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (when done/when occurred)

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• त्रिरात्रम्: (is) three nights
• त्रिरात्रम्: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (three nights)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पराकः: the Parāka penance
• पराकः: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (प्रायश्चित्त-विशेषः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• अन्त्यजागतौ: upon the arrival/approach of an outcaste
• अन्त्यजागतौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त्यज + आगति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अन्त्यजस्य आगतिः)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue teaching Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Degrees of impurity: environmental defilement vs. direct contact; corresponding escalation from tri-rātra to parāka penance.

Vedantic Theme: Ethical-ritual order (dharma) as a support for inner clarity; external śauca mirrors internal sattva, though ultimately transcended in higher jñāna.

Application: Differentiate between contamination of environment and direct harmful contact; respond with proportionate remediation and stricter safeguards for higher-risk interactions.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222 (gradation of penances: tri-rātra, kṛcchra, parāka)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Dvija
• Chandala
• Shvapaca
• Antyaja

FAQs

What prāyaścitta does the Garuda Purana prescribe when a place is defiled by feces or urine?

This verse states that if such defilement is caused by a caṇḍāla or śvapaca, the twice-born should observe a three-night expiation (trirātra prāyaścitta).

What is the Parāka penance mentioned here, and when is it applied?

Parāka is a named, stricter expiatory observance; this verse applies it specifically when there is contact/approach involving an antyaja (outcaste), indicating a heavier ritual-impurity remedy than the three-night penance.

Practical application of this teaching today?

The verse emphasizes accountability after defilement and the importance of restoring discipline and cleanliness; in modern practice, devotees may interpret it as prioritizing hygiene, respectful boundaries in ritual spaces, and undertaking an appropriate form of self-restraint or remedial worship per one’s tradition.