Shloka 24

Varṇāśrama-ācāra, Aśauca (Sūtaka) Regulations, and Prāyaścitta with Funeral-Rite Notes

Devanagari script

आत्मघातिविषोद्वन्धकृमिदष्टे न संस्कृतिः / गोहतं कृमिदष्टं च स्पृष्ट्वा कृच्छ्रेण शुध्यति

Transliteration

ātmaghātiviṣodvandhakṛmidaṣṭe na saṃskṛtiḥ / gohataṃ kṛmidaṣṭaṃ ca spṛṣṭvā kṛcchreṇa śudhyati

Translation

自尽者、服毒而亡者、悬缢而死者、为虫所噬而死者——皆无可行的丧葬净化仪轨（saṃskāra）。但若触及被牛所害而死者，或被虫所噬者，则须以艰难的苦行赎罪（prāyaścitta）方得清净。

Word by Word

• आत्मघाति-विष-उद्वन्ध-कृमिदष्टे: in (cases of) suicide, poison, hanging, worm-bite
• आत्मघाति-विष-उद्वन्ध-कृमिदष्टे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मघातिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विष (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्वन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + कृमिदष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व (आत्मघाति/विष/उद्वन्ध/कृमिदष्ट-इत्येषु = in cases of suicide, poison, hanging, worm-bite)

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• संस्कृतिः: purificatory rite/cleansing (saṃskṛti)
• संस्कृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्कृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• गोहतम्: a cow-killed (carcass)
• गोहतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोहत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गोः हतम् = cow-killed carcass)

• कृमिदष्टम्: worm-bitten (corpse)
• कृमिदष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक) + दष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (worm-bitten)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• स्पृष्ट्वा: having touched
• स्पृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Gerundial/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having touched)

• कृच्छ्रेण: by (a) severe penance (kṛcchra)
• कृच्छ्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; उपायार्थे (by means of penance)

• शुध्यति: is purified
• शुध्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Certain abnormal deaths are denied standard funerary saṃskāra; contact with some such bodies requires severe expiation (kṛcchra).

Vedantic Theme: Karma and dharma intersect in social-ritual order; prāyaścitta restores adhikāra (eligibility) after transgression/contact.

Application: Do not perform standard funerary purification rites for specified abnormal deaths per this rule-set; if one touches a cow-killed or worm-bitten corpse, undertake kṛcchra-type expiation as prescribed by one’s śākhā/smṛti tradition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: death-site/cremation-ground periphery

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.107 (apamṛtyu and saṃskāra eligibility)

FAQs

What is the importance of purification rules for unnatural death in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that certain unnatural deaths (suicide, poison, hanging, severe infestation) are treated as ritually ineligible for standard funerary saṃskāras, emphasizing strict dharmic boundaries and the need for prāyaścitta where impurity is incurred.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

Indirectly: by restricting normal funerary rites for specific deaths, it implies that the post-death journey is affected by the manner of death and associated karmic/ritual conditions, requiring different handling than standard antyeṣṭi procedures.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat death-related rites and contact-impurity (aśauca) with seriousness: follow tradition/qualified guidance for funerary procedures, and understand that ethical living and avoiding self-harm are central dharmic imperatives.