Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

प्रचरंश्चान्नपानेषु द्रव्यहस्तो भवेन्नरः / भूमौ निक्षिप्य तद् द्रव्यमाचम्याभ्युक्षयेत् तु तत्

Transliteration

pracaraṃścānnapāneṣu dravyahasto bhavennaraḥ / bhūmau nikṣipya tad dravyamācamyābhyukṣayet tu tat

Translation

Wenn beim Umhergehen in Angelegenheiten von Speise und Trank die Hand eines Mannes durch Berührung mit Unreinem beschmutzt wird, soll er jene Substanz auf den Boden legen, Ācamana (rituelles Schlürfen von Wasser zur Reinigung) vollziehen und sie danach mit reinigendem Wasser besprengen.

Word by Word

• प्रचरन्: moving about
• प्रचरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रचर् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (Masculine Nom. Sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्नपानेषु: in food and drink (matters)
• अन्नपानेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न + पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (copulative) ‘अन्नं च पानं च’; नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी बहुवचन (Neuter Loc. Pl.)

• द्रव्यहस्तः: having an object in hand
• द्रव्यहस्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रव्य + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative) ‘द्रव्यं हस्ते यस्य/हस्ते द्रव्यं’; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (Masculine Nom. Sg.)

• भवेत्: may be/should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg.)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन (Masculine Nom. Sg.)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचन (Feminine Loc. Sg.)

• निक्षिप्य: having put down
• निक्षिप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), ‘having placed/put down’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter Acc. Sg.)

• द्रव्यम्: the object/substance
• द्रव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter Acc. Sg.)

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

• अभ्युक्षयेत्: should sprinkle
• अभ्युक्षयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg.)

• तु: indeed/then
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/विशेषणार्थक (particle: but/indeed)

• तत्: it
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन (Neuter Acc. Sg.)

Speaker

Traditional narration (dharma-instruction within the Kurma Purana’s discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ācamana
• Annapāna
• Śauca (ritual purity)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly: it emphasizes śauca (purity) and disciplined conduct, which in Kurma Purana-style dharma functions as a preparatory refinement of body and mind for higher knowledge of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Ācamana and sprinkling (prokṣaṇa/abhyukṣaṇa) are purificatory acts that support inner steadiness (sattva-śuddhi). In the Kurma Purana’s broader yogic frame, such śauca disciplines are foundational supports for mantra, worship, and meditative practice.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; it contributes to the shared dharma framework honored across Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis in the Purana, where purity and right conduct underpin worship of Īśvara in either form.