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Shloka 8

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

अनुष्णाभिरफेनाबिरदुष्टाभिश्च धर्मतः / शौचेप्सुः सर्वदाचामेदासीनः प्रागुदङ्मुखः

anuṣṇābhiraphenābiraduṣṭābhiśca dharmataḥ / śaucepsuḥ sarvadācāmedāsīnaḥ prāgudaṅmukhaḥ

যি শৌচ বিচাৰে, সি সদায় ধৰ্মানুসাৰে আচমন কৰিব—অতি গৰম নহোৱা, ফেন নথকা আৰু অদূষিত জলেৰে; বহি পূব বা উত্তৰমুখে।

अनुष्णाभिःwith not-hot (cool) [waters]
अनुष्णाभिः:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअनुष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; साधन (instrumental)
अफेनाभिःwith foamless [waters]
अफेनाभिः:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअफेन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; साधन (instrumental)
अदुष्टाभिःwith untainted/pure [waters]
अदुष्टाभिः:
Karana (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअदुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; साधन (instrumental)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक ‘and’
धर्मतःaccording to dharma/rule
धर्मतः:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootधर्मतस् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘according to rule/dharma’
शौचेप्सुःone desiring purity
शौचेप्सुः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootशौच + इप्सु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (desired-object relation): ‘शौचम् इप्सुः’; कर्तृपद
सर्वदाalways
सर्वदा:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसर्वदा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb) ‘always’
आचमेत्should sip (water)
आचमेत्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootआ-चम् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विधि
आसीनःseated
आसीनः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootआस् (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle used adjectivally), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अवस्था-वाचक ‘being seated’
प्राक्towards the east
प्राक्:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootप्राक् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; दिक्-प्रवृत्त क्रियाविशेषण (directional adverb) ‘eastward’
उदङ्मुखःfacing north
उदङ्मुखः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootउदङ् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (दिक्-विशेषण): ‘उदङ् मुखम् यस्य’ (north-faced)

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages on dharma and purification

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

K
Kurma
V
Vishnu
D
Dharma
Ś
Śauca
Ā
Ācamana

FAQs

Indirectly: by prescribing śauca (purificatory discipline), it supports the sattvic clarity needed for self-inquiry; purity of conduct is treated as a practical aid to realizing the Atman rather than the Atman being something produced by ritual.

It emphasizes preparatory discipline (yama/niyama-style śauca) through ācamana—using suitable water, correct posture (seated), and auspicious orientation (east/north)—as foundational supports for japa, meditation, and worship in the Kurma Purana’s dharma-yoga framework.

While not naming Shiva explicitly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative approach: the same dharmic standards of purity underpin both Vaishnava and Shaiva rites, enabling a shared yogic-ritual ground consistent with Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.