Shloka 9

Ācamana-vidhi, Śauca, and Conduct Rules for Study, Eating, and Bodily Functions

Devanagari script

शिरः प्रावृत्य कण्ठं वा मुक्तकच्छसिखो ऽपि वा / अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचमाचान्तो ऽप्यशुचिर्भवेत्

Transliteration

śiraḥ prāvṛtya kaṇṭhaṃ vā muktakacchasikho 'pi vā / akṛtvā pādayoḥ śaucamācānto 'pyaśucirbhavet

Translation

إذا غطّى المرء رأسه أو حلقه، أو ترك ثوب الخصر مرتخيًا وشعره غير معقود، ولم يطهّر قدميه أولًا، فإنه—even بعد أداء الآچَمَنَة—يبقى على عدم الطهارة.

Word by Word

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• प्रावृत्य: having covered
• प्रावृत्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आ-वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया; ‘having covered’

• कण्ठम्: throat/neck
• कण्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (alternative object)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक ‘or’

• मुक्तकच्छसिखः: with loosened waist-cloth and topknot
• मुक्तकच्छसिखः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त + कच्छ + सिख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय-प्राय): ‘मुक्तः कच्छः’ ‘मुक्ता सिखा’—with waist-cloth and topknot loosened

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात ‘even/also’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक ‘or’

• अकृत्वा: without doing
• अकृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ + कृ (धातु)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (negative gerund), पूर्वक्रिया-निषेध; ‘without doing’

• पादयोः: of the two feet
• पादयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• शौचम्: cleansing/purification
• शौचम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object of ‘doing’)

• आचान्तः: one who has sipped (water)
• आचान्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having sipped (water)’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात ‘even/also’

• अशुचिः: impure
• अशुचिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक विशेषण; कर्तृ-विशेषण

• भवेत्: would be/becomes
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘would be/should become’

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma and ritual purity

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kūrma
• Vishnu
• Śauca
• Ācamana

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it frames outer purity (śauca) as a prerequisite for correct sacred action; in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching, disciplined conduct supports the inward pursuit of the Self by reducing ritual and mental impurity.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Not a meditation technique directly, but a preparatory discipline: śauca and proper ācamana. Such bodily and behavioral regulation functions as groundwork for higher yoga (including Pāśupata-oriented restraint and worship) taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

The verse is a dharma/śauca injunction rather than a theological statement; however, its emphasis on purity and disciplined observance aligns with the Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis where shared dharmic foundations support both Vishnu-oriented and Shiva-oriented worship.