Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

ऋक्षं दृष्ट्वा विशुध्यन्ते तत्संयोगी च पञ्चमः / ततो धेनुशतं दद्याद्ब्राह्मणानान्तु भोजनम्

Transliteration

ṛkṣaṃ dṛṣṭvā viśudhyante tatsaṃyogī ca pañcamaḥ / tato dhenuśataṃ dadyādbrāhmaṇānāntu bhojanam

Translation

ریچھ کو دیکھ لینے سے وہ پاک ہو جاتے ہیں، اور ان کے ساتھ وابستہ پانچواں شخص بھی پاک ہو جاتا ہے۔ پھر سو گائیں دان کرے اور برہمنوں کو کھانا کھلائے۔

Word by Word

• ṛkṣam: a bear
• ṛkṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), ‘having seen’

• viśudhyante: they become purified
• viśudhyante: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-śudh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); आत्मनेपद

• tat-saṃyogī: one connected with that
• tat-saṃyogī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat + saṃyogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (तस्य संयोगी = one associated with that)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• pañcamaḥ: the fifth
• pañcamaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्रमवाचक विशेषण (ordinal adjective)

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Sequence/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—अपादान/क्रमसूचक (then/from that)

• dhenuśatam: a hundred cows
• dhenuśatam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenu + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु (शतं धेनूनाम् = a hundred cows)

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• brāhmaṇānām: of Brahmins
• brāhmaṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• bhojanam: feeding/meal
• bhojanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain encounters/omens are treated as purificatory; purification is then sealed by generous gifts and brāhmaṇa-feeding.

Vedantic Theme: External rites as supports for inner purification; generosity reduces possessiveness (mala) and supports sattva.

Application: When a corrective rite is prescribed, complete it with restitution and community support (charity/feeding), not merely symbolic acts.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: wilderness/forest

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: śuddhi via darśana (seeing) and subsequent dāna; Garuda Purana: cow-gifts as high merit and expiation completion

Characters & Entities

• Brahmanas

FAQs

What is the importance of go-dāna (cow donation) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents go-dāna, along with feeding brāhmaṇas, as a prescribed expiatory act performed after a purificatory sign, reinforcing dāna as a means of ritual and moral purification.

How does this verse relate to purification (śuddhi) practices in the Garuda Purana?

It links a specific encounter (seeing a bear) with immediate purification and then prescribes follow-up meritorious acts—donation and feeding—reflecting the text’s pattern of pairing śuddhi with dāna-based prayāścitta.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Emphasize ethical purification through generosity: support caretaking of animals, charitable giving, and offering food to those devoted to learning and service—performed with sincerity and restraint.