Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

नित्यमास्यं शुचि स्त्रीणां शकुन्तैः पातितं फलम् / प्रस्त्रवे च शुचिर्वत्सः श्वा मृगग्रहणे शुचिः

Transliteration

nityamāsyaṃ śuci strīṇāṃ śakuntaiḥ pātitaṃ phalam / prastrave ca śucirvatsaḥ śvā mṛgagrahaṇe śuciḥ

Translation

ปากของสตรีนับว่าบริสุทธิ์เสมอ; ผลไม้ที่นกจิกแล้วทำตกก็เป็นของบริสุทธิ์. ลูกวัวบริสุทธิ์เมื่อมีน้ำนมไหล และสุนัขบริสุทธิ์เมื่อจับสัตว์ป่าในยามล่า.

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• आस्यम्: mouth; face
• आस्यम्: Karma/Viṣaya (Object/topic/कर्म-विशय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• शुचि: pure
• शुचि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• शकुन्तैः: by birds
• शकुन्तैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शकुन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन

• पातितम्: dropped; caused to fall
• पातितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) + त (क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• फलम्: fruit
• फलम्: Karma/Viṣaya (Object/topic/कर्म-विशय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• प्रस्त्रवे: in (the time/state of) flowing/discharge
• प्रस्त्रवे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्त्रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/coordination particle)

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वत्सः: calf
• वत्सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• श्वा: dog
• श्वा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन (विशेष-प्रातिपदिक: श्वन् → श्वा)

• मृगग्रहणे: in the catching of game
• मृगग्रहणे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śauca is contextual; certain agents/acts are deemed intrinsically or situationally pure despite contact/consumption concerns.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as order (niyati) governing embodied life; purity rules regulate saṃsāra-facing conduct rather than ultimate Brahman-knowledge.

Application: In daily life, treat a woman’s mouth, bird-dropped fruit, a nursing calf, and a hunting dog as exceptions to ordinary impurity assumptions when deciding what is acceptable to eat/use.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222 (śauca/ācamana/śuddhi of vessels)

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Women
• Birds
• Calf
• Dog

FAQs

What is the importance of ritual purity (śauca) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights contextual śauca—purity is determined by function and circumstance, helping householders apply dharma realistically in food and daily conduct.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana teachings on dharma and conduct?

It gives practical dharma markers (what is considered clean in specific situations), reflecting the text’s broader concern with correct conduct that supports righteous living and proper rites.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Apply cleanliness rules with context and purpose: prioritize hygiene and ethical intent over rigid taboo, while respecting traditional guidelines in ritual settings.