Shloka 67

The Procedure for Offering Piṇḍa (Funerary Rice-balls) — Gayā-māhātmya

Devanagari script

आचम्य कुशहस्तेन शिरश्चिभ्युक्ष्य वारिणा । उत्तरं मानसं गत्वा मंत्रेण स्नानमाचरेत् ॥ ६७ ॥

Transliteration

ācamya kuśahastena śiraścibhyukṣya vāriṇā | uttaraṃ mānasaṃ gatvā maṃtreṇa snānamācaret || 67 ||

Translation

بعد أن يتطهّر بآچَمَنَة (ācamana) بيدٍ تمسك عشبَ الكوشا، ويرشَّ الماءَ على رأسه، يتوجّه ذهنيًّا إلى الشمال، ثم يُجري الاغتسالَ الطقسيّ مصحوبًا بتلاوةِ المانترا.

Word by Word

• आचम्य: having sipped (ācamana)
• आचम्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), अर्थ: ‘having sipped (water)’; उपसर्ग: आ-

• कुशहस्तेन: with the hand holding kuśa grass
• कुशहस्तेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक + प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (कुशेन युक्तः हस्तः / कुश-धृत-हस्तः)

• शिरः: the head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Particle/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अभ्युक्ष्य: having sprinkled
• अभ्युक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), अर्थ: ‘having sprinkled’; उपसर्ग: अभि-

• वारिणा: with water
• वारिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• उत्तरम्: northern
• उत्तरम्: Karma-anvayi (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies ‘mānasaṃ’)

• मानसम्: Mānasa (lake/region)
• मानसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), अर्थ: ‘having gone’

• मन्त्रेण: with a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: आ-

Speaker

Narada (as transmitter of ritual instruction within the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha/vidhi context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Kusha

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It frames bathing as an inner–outer purification: bodily cleansing (ācamana and sprinkling) is joined with mental alignment (turning north in the mind) and mantra, making the act a dharmic, sanctifying rite rather than mere washing.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By insisting on mantra during snāna, the verse turns a daily/ritual act into remembrance and worship—linking purity of body and mind with devotional recitation directed toward the sacred.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Śikṣā and Kalpa-style ritual discipline: correct preparatory acts (ācamana, abhyukṣaṇa), use of kuśa as a ritual implement, and mantra-application as part of formal vidhi.