Shloka 17

Upanayana Timing, Brahmacarya Rules, Ācamana & Sandhyā Observance

Devanagari script

कृताग्निकार्यो भुञ्जीत विनीतो गुर्वनुज्ञया / आपोशानक्रियापूर्वं सत्कृत्यान्नमकुत्सयन्

Transliteration

kṛtāgnikāryo bhuñjīta vinīto gurvanujñayā / āpośānakriyāpūrvaṃ satkṛtyānnamakutsayan

Translation

Nachdem er die mit dem heiligen Feuer verbundenen Riten vollzogen hat, soll er demütig essen, mit Erlaubnis seines Lehrers. Zuerst vollziehe er das āpośāna (reinigendes Schlucken von Wasser) und nehme dann die Speise ehrfürchtig zu sich, ohne sie zu tadeln.

Word by Word

• कृत: having done
• कृत: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) (समासाङ्ग)

• अग्निकार्यः: one who has performed the fire-ritual duties
• अग्निकार्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अग्नेः कार्यम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः); कृत-अग्निकार्यः (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः)

• भुञ्जीत: should eat
• भुञ्जीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• विनीतः: disciplined
• विनीतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनीत (प्रातिपदिक; √नी)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• गुरु: of the teacher
• गुरु: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• अनुज्ञया: with permission
• अनुज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• आपोशान: of sipping water (ācamana)
• आपोशान: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपोशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• क्रिया: act/rite
• क्रिया: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• पूर्वम्: beforehand
• पूर्वम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सत्कृत्य: having respectfully honored
• सत्कृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत् + कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अकुत्सयन्: not disparaging (it)
• अकुत्सयन्: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कुत्स् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक (अकुत्सयन्)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Eat only after agni-related duties, with humility and guru’s permission; perform āpośāna first; honor food without disparagement.

Vedantic Theme: Anna as brahman-support (anna-śuddhi → sattva-śuddhi); vinaya as prerequisite for vidyā.

Application: Before meals: pause, cleanse, and cultivate gratitude; follow mentorship/house rules; avoid fault-finding in what is received.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: gurukula with sacred fire (agniśālā)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.94.18-19 (dietary restraint; vow; guru definition)

FAQs

What is the importance of āpośāna in Garuda Purana?

This verse places āpośāna as a required purificatory step before eating, framing food intake as a dharmic act preceded by ritual cleanliness and mindfulness.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

While not an afterlife passage, it teaches that disciplined daily conduct (ācāra)—such as purity and respect—forms the ethical foundation that supports auspicious karmic outcomes described elsewhere in the Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Eat only after completing essential duties, begin with a brief purification/prayer (āpośāna equivalent), respect the food served, and avoid complaining—cultivating gratitude and self-discipline.