Shloka 61

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

Devanagari script

प्राजापत्यन्तु तत्स्याच्च सर्वपातकनाशनम् / कृच्छ्रं सप्तोपवासैश्च महासान्तपनं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

prājāpatyantu tatsyācca sarvapātakanāśanam / kṛcchraṃ saptopavāsaiśca mahāsāntapanaṃ smṛtam

Translation

اس عمل کو ‘پراجاپتیہ’ پرایشچت کہا جاتا ہے اور اسے تمام مہاپاتکوں کو مٹانے والا بتایا گیا ہے۔ سات اُپواس کے ساتھ کیا گیا کِرِچّھر ‘مہا سانتپن’ کے نام سے یاد کیا جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• prājāpatyam: the prājāpatya (type of penance)
• prājāpatyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājāpatya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; contrast/emphasis)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अन्वयः—‘तत्’ (that)

• syāt: would be/is to be
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु; अस्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• sarvapātakanāśanam: destroyer of all sins
• sarvapātakanāśanam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva + pātaka + nāśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—सर्वेषां पातकानां नाशनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• kṛcchram: kṛcchra penance
• kṛcchram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛcchra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• saptopavāsaiḥ: by seven fasts
• saptopavāsaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapta + upavāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—सप्त उपवासाः (द्विगु)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• mahāsāntapanam: the great sāntapana (penance)
• mahāsāntapanam: Visheshya (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + sāntapana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—महच्च तत् सान्तपनम् (कर्मधारय)

• smṛtam: is said/considered
• smṛtam: Kriya (Predicative verbal idea)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु; स्मृत = क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) used predicatively; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific penances (Prājāpatya; Kṛcchra with seven fasts as Mahā-sāntapana) are prescribed as means to destroy grave sins.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-kṣaya through tapas and niyama; ethical restoration as prerequisite for steadiness in higher pursuits.

Application: When wrongdoing is acknowledged, undertake an appropriate, tradition-guided corrective discipline with consistency (not sporadic), ideally under competent guidance.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: vow-observance setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222.60 (graded restraints); Garuda Purana 1.222.62 (taptakṛcchra specifics)

Characters & Entities

• Prajapati

FAQs

What is the importance of Prājāpatya prāyaścitta in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Prājāpatya as a recognized expiatory discipline specifically praised for destroying even grave sins (sarva-pātaka-nāśana), emphasizing purification through regulated austerity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in relation to sin and purification?

While not describing the after-death journey directly, it links moral fault (pātaka) with remedial practice (prāyaścitta), implying that purification in life reduces the karmic burden that would otherwise shape post-mortem consequences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Adopt disciplined self-restraint—fasting or simplified living under guidance, coupled with ethical correction—treating austerity not as punishment but as a structured means to reform conduct and cleanse harmful tendencies.