Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

स्त्रीरजः पतितं मध्ये त्रिंशत्कुम्भान्समुद्धरेत् / अगम्यागमनं कृत्वा मद्यगोमांसभक्षणम्

Transliteration

strīrajaḥ patitaṃ madhye triṃśatkumbhānsamuddharet / agamyāgamanaṃ kṛtvā madyagomāṃsabhakṣaṇam

Translation

若有人使妇人经血落入应守清净之物的中央，当汲出并弃去三十罐（受染之部分）。同样，与禁女行淫者，以及饮酒并食牛肉者，皆属重罪之人，须行忏悔赎罪。

Word by Word

• स्त्रीरजः: menstrual impurity of a woman
• स्त्रीरजः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (Nom/Acc Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (woman's menstrual impurity)

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त; पत् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन (Nom/Acc Singular); क्त (past participle)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचन (Locative Singular)

• त्रिंशत्कुम्भान्: thirty pots (of water)
• त्रिंशत्कुम्भान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिंशत् + कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Accusative Plural); द्विगु-समास (thirty pots)

• समुद्धरेत्: should draw out completely
• समुद्धरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उद्+हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg)

• अगम्यागमनम्: approaching the forbidden (sexual intercourse with prohibited woman)
• अगम्यागमनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगम्य + आगमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative Singular); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे (going to the unapproachable/forbidden)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• मद्यगोमांसभक्षणम्: consumption of liquor and beef
• मद्यगोमांसभक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्य + गोमांस + भक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative Singular); समाहार-तत्पुरुष (eating of liquor and beef)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Severe impurity and grave sins (sexual transgression, liquor, cow-flesh) demand strong remedial measures; ritual contamination requires substantial removal (thirty pots).

Vedantic Theme: Karma and saṃskāra: actions imprint consequences; dharma provides corrective disciplines to restore order and sattva.

Application: Respect consent, boundaries, and ethical conduct; avoid intoxicant abuse and cruelty; when harm occurs, undertake accountability, restitution, and disciplined reform (parallel to prāyaścitta).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/ritual boundary zone

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.222 (prāyaścitta/mahāpātaka discussions in adjacent verses)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of ritual purity and expiation in this Garuda Purana verse?

The verse links specific acts of defilement and prohibited conduct with the need for prāyaścitta, emphasizing that ritual impurity and grave sins have karmic consequences that must be addressed through prescribed corrective measures.

How does this verse relate to karma and post-death consequences described in the Garuda Purana?

By classifying acts like forbidden sexual relations and consuming liquor/cow flesh as serious transgressions, it supports the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching that such actions shape one’s karmic burden and can lead to suffering in Yama’s realm unless rectified.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat ethical boundaries and sacred norms with seriousness, avoid intoxicants and harmful dietary/behavioral choices that violate one’s dharma, and when wrongdoing occurs, pursue sincere correction—restraint, restitution, and appropriate atonement per one’s tradition.