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Shloka 114

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

स्नानमेव क्रिया यस्मात्क्रियास्नानमतः परम् / अद्भिर्गात्राणि शुध्यन्ति तीर्थस्नानात्फलं लभेत्

Transliteration

snānameva kriyā yasmātkriyāsnānamataḥ param / adbhirgātrāṇi śudhyanti tīrthasnānātphalaṃ labhet

Translation

Das Bad selbst ist eine heilige Handlung; darum gilt das rituelle Bad als höchst bedeutsam. Durch Wasser werden die Glieder des Körpers gereinigt, und durch das Bad an einem Tīrtha erlangt man die verheißene geistige Frucht.

Word by Word
स्नानम्bathing
स्नानम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootस्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
एवindeed/only
एव:
Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण निपात (emphatic particle)
क्रिया(the) rite/action
क्रिया:
Pradhana/Predicate (विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootक्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
यस्मात्because
यस्मात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (because of which)
क्रियास्नानम्ritual bathing
क्रियास्नानम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootक्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—“क्रियायाः स्नानम्” (ritual bath)
अतःtherefore
अतः:
Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअतः (अव्यय)
Formहेतौ/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (therefore/from this)
परम्supreme
परम्:
Pradhana/Predicate (विधेय)
TypeAdjective
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—श्रेष्ठ/उत्तम (supreme)
अद्भिःwith waters
अद्भिः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअप्/अद् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
गात्राणिlimbs/body-parts
गात्राणि:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन
शुध्यन्तिbecome purified
शुध्यन्ति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootशुध् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदी
तीर्थस्नानात्from bathing at a holy place
तीर्थस्नानात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—“तीर्थे स्नानम्/तीर्थस्य स्नानम्” (bathing at a sacred place)
फलम्fruit/result
फलम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootफल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
लभेत्one should obtain
लभेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootलभ् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदी
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Snana is itself a kriyā (sacred act); water purifies the body, and tīrtha-snana yields promised merit (phala).

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala-niyama: actions performed with right means and context (tīrtha) yield subtle results; external purity supports inner steadiness.

Application: Treat bathing as a deliberate ritual act; when possible, bathe at tīrthas with reverence and restraint, aligning intention with purification.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: pilgrimage bathing place / river ford

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.113 (places for snana); Garuda Purana 1.213.115 (sin destroyed by marjana/majjan/mantra)

Characters & Entities
T
Tirtha

FAQs

This verse states that bathing is itself a religious act and that ritual bathing is considered supreme because water purifies the body and supports dharmic observance.

Yes. It distinguishes ordinary cleansing from tīrtha-snān, saying that bathing at a sacred ford yields a specific spiritual fruit (phala), i.e., merit associated with that holy place.

Maintain bodily cleanliness as part of spiritual discipline, and when visiting sacred sites, approach bathing as a mindful rite—linked with prayer, restraint, and ethical conduct—to seek inner purification, not merely physical washing.

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