Vamana Purana — Rules of Purity (Shauca), Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

ततः स्पृशेत्खानि शिरः करेण संध्यामुपासीत ततः क्रमेण केशांस्तु संशोध्य च दन्तधावनं कृत्वा तथा दर्पणदर्शनं च

Transliteration

tataḥ spṛśetkhāni śiraḥ kareṇa saṃdhyāmupāsīta tataḥ krameṇa keśāṃstu saṃśodhya ca dantadhāvanaṃ kṛtvā tathā darpaṇadarśanaṃ ca

Translation

ثم ينبغي أن يمسَّ بيده فتحات الجسد والرأس؛ وبعد ذلك يؤدي عبادة السَّندْهيا (Sandhyā) على ترتيبها. ثم بعد تنقية الشعر ينظف/يفرش الأسنان، وينظر أيضًا في المرآة.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘thereafter/then’

• स्पृशेत्: should touch
• स्पृशेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• खानि: the apertures/sense-openings
• खानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

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

• करेण: with the hand
• करेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन (singular)

• संध्याम्: the twilight-prayer (sandhyā)
• संध्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• उपासीत: should worship/perform (sandhyā)
• उपासीत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘thereafter’

• क्रमेण: in sequence/gradually
• क्रमेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन (singular); adverbial use ‘in order/gradually’

• केशान्: hair
• केशान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (accusative), बहुवचन (plural)

• तु: indeed/and then
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): emphasis/contrast

• संशोध्य: having cleaned/purified
• संशोध्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-शुध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having cleansed/purified’

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

• दन्तधावनम्: tooth-cleaning
• दन्तधावनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त + धावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: दन्तानां धावनम्

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): ‘having done’

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘thus/likewise’

• दर्पणदर्शनम्: looking into a mirror
• दर्पणदर्शनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्पण + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: दर्पणस्य दर्शनम्

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

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (often framed as Pulastya → Nārada in the Vāmana Purāṇa
• but not asserted here).

Key Themes

• Vrata/Rituals
• Ācāra (right conduct)
• Sandhyā worship
• Purification

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse links outer cleanliness and ordered routine with inner discipline: ritual life begins with śauca (purity) and proceeds by krama (proper sequence), implying that spiritual practice is stabilized by daily self-regulation.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This passage is best classified under ācāra/dharma instruction rather than the five classic markers (sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, vaṃśānucarita). In a database, it can be tagged as a dharma-śāstra-like layer embedded within the Purāṇa.

What is the symbolic significance?

Touching the head and bodily openings suggests guarding the senses and orienting the self toward sacred order; Sandhyā marks the junction of time (saṃdhi), symbolically aligning human routine with cosmic rhythm.