Shloka 4

Snāna-Śauca Krama: Varuṇa–Āpaḥ Mantras, Aghamarṣaṇa, Sūrya-Upasthāna, and Sarva-Tarpaṇa

Devanagari script

उपवीती बद्धशिखः सम्यगाचम्य वाग्यतः / उरुं राजेत्यृचा तोयमुपस्थाय प्रदक्षिणम्

Transliteration

upavītī baddhaśikhaḥ samyagācamya vāgyataḥ / uruṃ rājetyṛcā toyamupasthāya pradakṣiṇam

Translation

Mit korrekt angelegter Yajñopavīta (heiligem Faden), gebundenem Scheitelknoten, nach ordnungsgemäßem Ācamana (reinigendem Wasserschlürfen) und mit gezügelter Rede soll man nahe am Wasser stehen und, den ṛk beginnend mit «uruṃ rājan…» rezitierend, den Ritus vollziehen und danach ehrfürchtig die Pradakṣiṇā (Rechtsumrundung) ausführen.

Word by Word

• उपवीती: wearing the sacred thread
• उपवीती: Karta-visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपवीतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण — ‘wearing the upavīta (sacred thread)’

• बद्धशिखः: with tied topknot
• बद्धशिखः: Karta-visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त, √बन्ध्) + शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ: ‘whose topknot is tied’

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘properly’

• आचम्य: having performed ācamana
• आचम्य: Purvakala-kriya (Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव — ‘having sipped (water) / performed ācamana’

• वाक्यतः: restraining speech
• वाक्यतः: Karta-visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाक् + यत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘speech-restrained’

• उरुम्: vast/great (uru)
• उरुम्: Karma (Object—mantra word)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; मन्त्रपाठे विशेषणरूपेण

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject within mantra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Vacana-parisamapti (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/quotative particle)

• ऋचा: with a ṛc-verse
• ऋचा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘by/with a ṛc (Vedic verse)’

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• उपस्थाय: having approached (the water)
• उपस्थाय: Purvakala-kriya (Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव — ‘having approached/attended’

• प्रदक्षिणम्: clockwise
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘clockwise / keeping to the right’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual eligibility and efficacy arise from correct saṃskāra markers (upavīta, śikhā), ācamanā, and vāg-yama (speech restraint).

Vedantic Theme: Indriya-nigraha and niyama cultivate sattva; disciplined form supports inward recollection of ṛta/Brahman.

Application: Before any mantra-karman: wear upavīta properly, tie hair neatly, perform ācamanā, maintain silence/controlled speech, and approach the ritual element (water) with pradakṣiṇā as a gesture of surrender.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: riverbank/ghāṭ/wellside ritual spot

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.214.6 (uruṃ rājan ṛk); Garuda Purana 1.214.7 (ye te… pाश- विमोचन)

Characters & Entities

• Lord Vishnu
• Garuda
• Vedic Ṛk (mantra)

FAQs

What is the importance of ācamana and silence (vāg-yama) in Garuda Purana rituals?

This verse ties effectiveness of the water-rite to inner and outer purity: ācamana purifies, while restrained speech maintains focused, undisturbed ritual intention.

How does this verse guide the correct method of offering water in Garuda Purana?

It specifies prerequisites (upavīta, tied śikhā, ācamana), the use of a Vedic ṛk (“uruṃ rājan…”), approaching/standing by the water, and concluding with pradakṣiṇā as a sign of reverence.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before any ancestral or sacred water offering, adopt cleanliness and mental discipline—simple ācamana, quiet focus, and a respectful concluding gesture (pradakṣiṇā) to keep the rite mindful rather than mechanical.