Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

चर्ममध्यगतं तोयमशुचि स्यान्न तत्पिबेत् / अन्त्यजातिरविज्ञातो निवसेद्यस्य वेश्मनि

Transliteration

carmamadhyagataṃ toyamaśuci syānna tatpibet / antyajātiravijñāto nivasedyasya veśmani

Translation

چمڑے کے برتن کے اندر لگا ہوا پانی ناپاک ہوتا ہے؛ اسے نہیں پینا چاہیے۔ اسی طرح جس گھر میں کسی نامعلوم اَنتیہ جات (ادنیٰ ذات) کا شخص رہتا ہو، وہاں قیام نہ کرے۔

Word by Word

• carmamadhyagatam: water that has entered/soaked into leather (skin)
• carmamadhyagatam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: carma + madhya + gata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('gone into the middle of leather/skin'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (toyam)

• toyam: water
• toyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• aśuci: impure
• aśuci: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (toyam)

• syāt: would be/should be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• tat: that (water)
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• pibet: should drink
• pibet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• antyajātiḥ: a person of the lowest caste
• antyajātiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antya + jāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास ('last/lowest caste'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• avijñātaḥ: unknown/unrecognized
• avijñātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + vijñāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (implied person)

• nivased: should dwell/live
• nivased: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni√vas (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• yasya: of whom/whose
• yasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• veśmani: in the house
• veśmani: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veśman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avoidance of impure water sources and impure lodging; discernment in association and consumption.

Vedantic Theme: Saṅga (association) and āhāra (intake) influence mental purity; protective discipline as a preliminary to higher pursuits.

Application: Do not drink water that has contacted the inside of leather; avoid staying in a house with an unknown person deemed socially/ritually impure by the text’s framework.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: travel/lodging context; household water storage

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222: vessel/food/water impurity and lodging/association rules

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Antyaja

FAQs

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

This verse frames purity as a practical dharma-rule: avoid impure water and avoid staying in conditions considered ritually unsuitable, so that one’s daily conduct supports religious discipline.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana’s broader teachings on dharma?

It presents behavioral boundaries—what to consume and where to reside—as part of dharmic living, a recurring theme in the Garuda Purana’s instructions on correct conduct alongside afterlife teachings.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain cleanliness in food and water sources, and choose living environments that support ethical, disciplined life; interpret the verse’s intent as prioritizing hygiene, discernment, and mindful association.