Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

अजावी मैथुनं कृत्वा प्राजापत्यं चरेद् द्विजः / पतितां च स्त्रियं गत्वा त्रिभिः कृच्छ्रै र्विशुद्ध्यति

Transliteration

ajāvī maithunaṃ kṛtvā prājāpatyaṃ cared dvijaḥ / patitāṃ ca striyaṃ gatvā tribhiḥ kṛcchrai rviśuddhyati

Translation

เมื่อมีเพศสัมพันธ์กับแพะหรือแกะตัวเมีย พราหมณ์ควรบำเพ็ญตบะประชาบดี หากเขาไปหาหญิงที่ตกต่ำ เขาจะบริสุทธิ์ได้ด้วยการบำเพ็ญตบะกฤจฉระสามครั้ง

Word by Word

• अजावी: with a goat or a ewe (goat/sheep)
• अजावी: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजा (प्रातिपदिक) + अवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (अजा च अविः च)

• मैथुनम्: sexual intercourse
• मैथुनम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• प्राजापत्यम्: the Prājāpatya penance
• प्राजापत्यम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (व्रत/प्रायश्चित्त-नाम)

• चरेत्: should perform
• चरेत्: क्रिया (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• द्विजः: a twice-born (brāhmaṇa etc.)
• द्विजः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पतिताम्: a fallen (outcaste)
• पतिताम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्त्रियम्)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• स्त्रियम्: a woman
• स्त्रियम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone to
• गत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: करण (करणम्/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (कृच्छ्रैः)

• कृच्छ्रैः: (by) Kṛcchra penances
• कृच्छ्रैः: करण (करणम्/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (प्रायश्चित्त-भेदाः)

• विशुद्ध्यति: is purified
• विशुद्ध्यति: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विशुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (narrating Purāṇic Dharma instructions as taught in the Kurma Purana tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prājāpatya
• Kṛcchra
• Dvija
• Prāyaścitta

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily dharma-śāstric, prescribing prāyaścitta (expiation) for specific sexual transgressions; it implies that inner purity and self-discipline support the sāttvika condition needed for Self-knowledge, but it does not directly define Ātman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No formal meditation technique is taught here; instead, it emphasizes tapas (austerity) through Prājāpatya and Kṛcchra vows—disciplinary practices that, in the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis, function as preparatory purification for higher sādhana, including Pāśupata-oriented restraint and devotion.

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

This verse does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; it reflects the Purāṇa’s shared dharmic framework where ethical restraint and expiation uphold the spiritual order that both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths presume.