Shloka 89

Brahmin Right Conduct: Morning Remembrance, Bathing, Purification, and Tarpaṇa Method

Devanagari script

प्रदक्षिणं प्रकुर्वीत प्रख्यातांश्च वनस्पतीन् । गोविप्रावग्निविप्रौ च विप्रौ द्वौ दंपती तथा

Transliteration

pradakṣiṇaṃ prakurvīta prakhyātāṃśca vanaspatīn | goviprāvagniviprau ca viprau dvau daṃpatī tathā

Translation

ليقم المرء بالبرادكشِنا، أي الطواف بخشوع، حول الأشجار المقدّسة المشهورة؛ وكذلك حول بقرة، وحول البرهمنة، وحول النار المقدّسة، وأيضًا حول زوجين من البرهمنة.

Word by Word

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मपद (circumambulation as object)

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; विध्यर्थ

• प्रख्यातान्: renowned
• प्रख्यातान्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रख्यात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying vanaspatīn)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वनस्पतीन्: trees (lords of the forest)
• वनस्पतीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनस्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्मपद

• गोविप्रौ: the cow and the brāhmaṇa
• गोविप्रौ: Karma (Objects to be honored)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (गौश्च विप्रश्च); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; कर्तृ/उद्देश्य-समूह

• अग्निविप्रौ: fire and the brāhmaṇa
• अग्निविप्रौ: Karma (Objects to be honored)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (अग्निश्च विप्रश्च); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; समुच्चित-उद्देश्य

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• विप्रौ: two brāhmaṇas
• विप्रौ: Karma (Objects to be honored)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; समुच्चित-उद्देश्य

• द्वौ: two
• द्वौ: Karta (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण (qualifying viprau)

• दम्पती: a married couple
• दम्पती: Karma (Objects to be honored)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम्पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; युगलवाचक (couple)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (thus/also)

Speaker

Unspecified in the provided excerpt (narrative instruction within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रख्यातांश्च = प्रख्यातान् + च; गोविप्रावग्निविप्रौ = गोविप्रौ + अग्निविप्रौ (sandhi: au+a→ā).

Characters & Entities

• Pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation)
• Vanaspatī (sacred trees)
• Go (cow)
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Agni (sacred fire)
• Dampatī (married couple)

FAQs

Why does this verse prescribe pradakṣiṇā of trees, cows, brāhmaṇas, and fire?

It presents a hierarchy of reverence toward visible embodiments of sanctity and sustenance—sacred trees (life-giving), the cow (nourishment), brāhmaṇas (custodians of Vedic learning), and Agni (ritual witness). Circumambulation is a bodily act of honoring and aligning oneself with dharma.

What is the significance of including a brāhmaṇa couple (dampatī) for circumambulation?

A righteous married couple symbolizes household dharma (gṛhastha-āśrama) and social stability. Honoring them highlights that sanctity is not only ascetic but also present in an ethical, dharma-centered home life.

What ethical lesson does this instruction convey for daily practice?

It encourages humility and gratitude toward sources of knowledge, nourishment, and sacred order—respecting learned persons, caring for cows, honoring sacred fire/ritual responsibility, and valuing life-sustaining nature (trees).