Vamana Purana — Rules of Purity (Shauca), Shloka 30

Rules of Purity (Śauca), Permissible Foods, and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

न देवगोब्राह्मणवह्निमार्गे न राजमार्गे न चतुष्पथे च कुर्यादथोत्सर्गमपीह गोष्ठे पूर्वापरां चैव समाश्रितो गाम्

Transliteration

na devagobrāhmaṇavahnimārge na rājamārge na catuṣpathe ca kuryādathotsargamapīha goṣṭhe pūrvāparāṃ caiva samāśrito gām

Translation

لا يُؤدَّى «أوتسَرغا» في طريقٍ يتصل بإلهٍ أو بالبقر أو بالبراهمة أو بالنار؛ ولا في الطريق الملكي؛ ولا عند مفترق الطرق. وحتى في حظيرة البقر، ينبغي أداؤه مع مراعاة الاتجاه شرقًا–غربًا على الوجه المقرَّر.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध particle ‘not’

• देव-गो-ब्राह्मण-वह्नि-मार्गे: on the path (associated with) gods, cows, Brahmins, and fire
• देव-गो-ब्राह्मण-वह्नि-मार्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + गो (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), सप्तमी (Loc, 7th), एकवचन (sg); समाहार-द्वन्द्वः: ‘देवगोब्राह्मणवह्नीनां मार्गः’ = ‘path used for gods/cows/Brahmins/fire’

• न: nor
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; negation

• राज-मार्गे: on the king’s road
• राज-मार्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), सप्तमी (Loc, 7th), एकवचन (sg); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘राज्ञः मार्गः’

• न: nor
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; negation

• चतुष्पथे: at a crossroads
• चतुष्पथे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), सप्तमी (Loc, 7th), एकवचन (sg)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; discourse particle ‘then/now’

• उत्सर्गम्: discharge/evacuation
• उत्सर्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), द्वितीया (Acc, 2nd), एकवचन (sg)

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

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; deictic adverb ‘here’

• गोष्ठे: in a cowshed/cattle-pen
• गोष्ठे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), सप्तमी (Loc, 7th), एकवचन (sg)

• पूर्व-अपराम्: front-and-back (both sides)
• पूर्व-अपराम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f), द्वितीया (Acc, 2nd), एकवचन (sg); द्वन्द्व-समासः (pair) used adjectivally: ‘front and back (sides)’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphasis ‘indeed/just’

• समाश्रितः: having taken position / having resorted
• समाश्रितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (m), प्रथमा (Nom, 1st), एकवचन (sg); ‘having resorted to/positioned’

• गाम्: the cow / (here) the ground? (lit. cow)
• गाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f), द्वितीया (Acc, 2nd), एकवचन (sg)

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (typical frame; not explicit in the excerpt)

Primary Deities

• Agni (vahni) (as sacred fire, indirectly referenced)
• Vishnu (implicit via surrounding ‘Hari’ remembrance)

Key Themes

• Ritual Purity (Śauca)
• Respect for sacred beings (deities, cows, brāhmaṇas, fire)
• Public order (avoid roads/crossroads)
• Ācāra (proper conduct)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purity rules are framed as non-harm and reverence: avoid defiling sacred presences (deity-space, cows, brāhmaṇas, fire) and avoid causing public nuisance (roads, crossroads). Dharma includes ecological/social cleanliness and respect for what sustains society.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is ācāra-dharma instruction (supplementary Purāṇic material), not a pañcalakṣaṇa narrative unit. It functions as practical dharma supporting the larger sacred-topography and vrata context.

What is the symbolic significance?

The prohibited sites represent loci of sanctity (deva/Agni), life-support (go), and spiritual authority (brāhmaṇa), while roads/crossroads represent communal space. Directional discipline (east–west orientation) symbolizes ordered living—aligning bodily acts with cosmic and social order (ṛta/dharma).