Shloka 150

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

शाकं च रात्रौ भूमिष्ठमत्यन्तं च विवर्जयेत् / नचैकरससेवायां प्रसज्जेत कदाचन

Transliteration

śākaṃ ca rātrau bhūmiṣṭhamatyantaṃ ca vivarjayet / nacaikarasasevāyāṃ prasajjeta kadācana

Translation

يُتجنَّب أكل الخُضَر الورقية ليلًا، ويُجتنب تمامًا الطعام الذي سقط على الأرض. ولا ينبغي أبدًا التعلّق بالإفراط في طعمٍ واحدٍ دون سواه.

Word by Word

• शाकम्: vegetables/greens
• शाकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• भूमिष्ठम्: lying on the ground
• भूमिष्ठम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूमि + स्थ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (भूमौ स्थितम्); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; शाकम् इति विशेषणम्

• अत्यन्तम्: excessively
• अत्यन्तम्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'excessively')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• विवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• विवर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• एकरससेवायाम्: in the practice of one-taste diet
• एकरससेवायाम्: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + रस + सेवा (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (एकस्य रसस्य सेवा / एकरसे सेवा); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• प्रसज्जेत: should become attached/engage
• प्रसज्जेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + सञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• कदाचन: ever/at any time
• कदाचन: Sambandha (Time/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: 'ever/at any time')

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avoid leafy greens at night; avoid food fallen on the ground; avoid fixation on a single taste.

Vedantic Theme: Indriya-saṃyama: reducing rāga (attachment) through regulated habits; purity as support for sattva.

Application: Prefer easily digestible dinners; maintain hygiene; cultivate dietary variety and moderation to prevent compulsive craving.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: household/dining setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: nearby āhāra-niyama verses on taste order and varṇa-associated food symbolism

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of dietary restraint in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames food-discipline as dharma: avoiding improper eating (night consumption of certain foods, fallen food) and restraining craving for taste, which supports purity and self-mastery.

How does this verse relate to karma and spiritual discipline?

By discouraging impurity and sense-addiction (rasa-attachment), it promotes sattvic conduct; such restraint is presented as supportive of righteous karma and steadiness in religious observance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid unhygienic or compromised food, keep night-eating moderate, and reduce habitual craving-driven eating—treat taste as secondary to health, cleanliness, and self-control.