Shloka 33

Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline

Devanagari script

हीनकल्पं न कुर्वीत सति द्रव्ये फलप्रदम् / चण्डालो जायते यज्ञकरणाच्छूद्रभिक्षितात

Transliteration

hīnakalpaṃ na kurvīta sati dravye phalapradam / caṇḍālo jāyate yajñakaraṇācchūdrabhikṣitāta

Translation

若具资财，切莫以残缺卑劣之法行祭，因为唯有如法之祭方能结其果报。若以从首陀罗（Śūdra）乞得之食来行祭祀，则行祭者被说将生为旃陀罗（caṇḍāla，贱民）。

Word by Word

• हीन-कल्पम्: a deficient procedure/ritual-form
• हीन-कल्पम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हीन + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• कुर्वीत: should do/perform
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्

• सति: when there is/while being present
• सति: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) ‘सत्’; सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• द्रव्ये: in resources/material
• द्रव्ये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन (Singular); सति-सप्तमी-सह (with locative absolute)

• फल-प्रदम्: fruit-giving, result-producing
• फल-प्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘हीनकल्पम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• चण्डालः: a Caṇḍāla (outcaste)
• चण्डालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्

• यज्ञ-करणात्: from performing a sacrifice (improperly)
• यज्ञ-करणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शूद्र-भिक्षितात्: from (using) alms/food begged from a Śūdra
• शूद्र-भिक्षितात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र + भिक्षित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Karma-phala depends on proper performance and purity of means; knowingly doing a deficient rite or using impure/forbidden support corrupts the result and leads to demerit.

Vedantic Theme: Outer action mirrors inner guṇa; impure means and negligence thicken tamas and bind the doer to lower outcomes.

Application: Do not cut corners when you have capacity; ensure ethical sourcing and procedural integrity in any sacred/serious undertaking.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96 (rules on purity of offerings, means, and ritual completeness)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Śūdra
• Caṇḍāla
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the importance of avoiding hīna-kalpa (defective ritual procedure) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse teaches that when resources are available, cutting corners in ritual method undermines the intended spiritual result (phala) and can generate negative karmic consequences.

How does this verse connect karma with ritual performance?

It links the quality and appropriateness of ritual means (procedure and sourced offerings) to karmic outcomes, stating that improper sourcing for a yajña can lead to an adverse rebirth.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Perform religious duties with integrity: follow the correct procedure as best as possible, use ethically obtained materials, and avoid knowingly using improper or compromised means when you have the capacity to do it rightly.