Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

ॐ इदं विष्णुर्विचक्रमे त्रेधा निधे पदम् समूढमस्य पांसुरे / महाव्याहृतिभिः पश्चादाचामेत्प्रयतो ऽपि सन्

Transliteration

oṃ idaṃ viṣṇurvicakrame tredhā nidhe padam samūḍhamasya pāṃsure / mahāvyāhṛtibhiḥ paścādācāmetprayato 'pi san

Translation

Indem man spricht: „Oṃ—dies ist der Schritt Viṣṇus: Ich setze seinen dreifachen Schritt, im Staub verborgen“, vollziehe man danach Ācamana mit den Mahāvyāhṛtis, aufmerksam und gereinigt.

Word by Word

• ॐ: Om
• ॐ: Sambandha (Invocation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय)
• Form: मङ्गल/प्रणव-नाद (sacred syllable)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विचक्रमे: strode/stepped forth
• विचक्रमे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्रेधा: in threefold manner
• त्रेधा: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रेधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in three ways)

• निधे: O treasure (O Lord)
• निधे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• पदम्: step/footprint/place
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• समूढम्: well-established/firmly set
• समूढम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + ऊढ (√वह्/ऊह्?; here adjectival from समूढ) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (पदम्)

• अस्य: of him/of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पांसुरे: in/among the dusty (ground)
• पांसुरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पांसुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (implicit locus)

• महाव्याहृतिभिः: with the great vyāhṛtis (bhūḥ bhuvaḥ svaḥ)
• महाव्याहृतिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाव्याहृति (प्रातिपदिक: महा + व्याहृति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महती व्याहृतिः)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Adhikarana (Sequence/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (afterwards)

• आचामेत्: should sip (perform ācamana)
• आचामेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रयतः: restrained/pure
• प्रयतः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (सन्)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-निपात (also/even)

• सन्: being
• सन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (as cited in a ritual instruction within Garuḍa Purāṇa’s discourse to Garuḍa)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purification is completed by Viṣṇu-smaraṇa: mantra aligns the practitioner with the cosmic order (ṛta/dharma).

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anusandhāna purifies the mind; the all-pervading Viṣṇu is the support of ritual and consciousness.

Application: During cleansing/ācamana, add a short Viṣṇu remembrance (Trivikrama/Viṣṇu-gāyatrī/Mahāvyāhṛti) to convert routine hygiene into mindful devotion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: ritual station (ghāṭa or home water-spot)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.214.10-11 (continuation with Vedic ṛks for cleansing and waters)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Mahāvyāhṛtis

FAQs

What is the importance of ācamana with the Mahāvyāhṛtis in Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse presents ācamana as a required act of inner and outer purification, strengthened by the Mahāvyāhṛtis, before performing sacred duties.

How does this verse connect Viṣṇu’s ‘three strides’ to ritual practice?

By invoking Viṣṇu’s all-pervading three steps, the practitioner sacralizes the act and the space, then completes purification through ācamana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before pūjā, japa, or śrāddha-related actions, recite the mantra mindfully and perform ācamana to cultivate cleanliness, restraint, and reverence.