Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

ब्रहामचारी स्त्रियं गच्छेत् कथञ्चित्काममोहितः / सप्तगारं चरेद् भैक्षं वसित्वा गर्दभाजिनम्

Transliteration

brahāmacārī striyaṃ gacchet kathañcitkāmamohitaḥ / saptagāraṃ cared bhaikṣaṃ vasitvā gardabhājinam

Translation

หากพรหมจารีหลงใหลในตัณหาและไปหาหญิง เขาควรสวมหนังลาและขอทานจากบ้านเจ็ดหลังเพื่อเป็นการไถ่บาป

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मचारी: a celibate student (brahmacārin)
• ब्रह्मचारी: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• गच्छेत्: should go to
• गच्छेत्: क्रिया (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कथञ्चित्: somehow
• कथञ्चित्: सम्बन्ध (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/अनिश्चिततावाचक (adverb: somehow/by some means)

• काम-मोहितः: deluded by desire
• काम-मोहितः: कर्ता-विशेषण (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + मोहित (कृदन्त, मुह्-धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसदृशः (कामेन मोहितः)

• सप्त-गारम्: (for) seven houses
• सप्त-गारम्: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + गार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सप्त गाराणि)

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

• भैक्षम्: begging (alms-round)
• भैक्षम्: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भैक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (भिक्षाटन-रूपं/भिक्षा)

• वसित्वा: having lived
• वसित्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• गर्दभ-आजिनम्: a donkey-skin (garment)
• गर्दभ-आजिनम्: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्दभ (प्रातिपदिक) + अजिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गर्दभस्य अजिनम्)

Speaker

Narrator (Vyāsa/Sūta tradition) presenting dharma-śāstra style injunctions within the Kurma Purana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Brahmacārin
• Strī
• Kāma
• Bhaikṣa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by prescribing expiation for lust-driven conduct, it treats kāma-moha as a binding impurity that obscures inner discipline—an ethical prerequisite for clarity of the Self in Yoga and dharma.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Not a meditation technique but a discipline-supporting prāyaścitta: regulated living, humility through bhaikṣa (alms), and austerity after a lapse—meant to restore brahmacarya, which supports later yogic steadiness (citta-śuddhi).

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

This verse is primarily dharma-instruction rather than theology; within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such vows and expiations are shared foundations for both Śaiva (Pāśupata-oriented) and Vaiṣṇava sādhanā aimed at purity and God-realization.