Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama

Devanagari script

एवमाचम्य विप्रेंद्र शुद्धिमाप्नोत्यनुत्तमाम् । दंतकाष्ठं ततः खादेत्सत्वचं शस्तवृक्षजम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

evamācamya vipreṃdra śuddhimāpnotyanuttamām | daṃtakāṣṭhaṃ tataḥ khādetsatvacaṃ śastavṛkṣajam || 23 ||

Translation

So, o Bester der Brāhmaṇas, erlangt man durch das Vollziehen des Ācamana eine unvergleichliche Reinheit. Danach soll man ein Zahnhölzchen kauen, mit unversehrter Rinde, von einem empfohlenen glückverheißenden Baum genommen.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: प्रकार (Adverbial/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• आचम्य: having sipped (water)
• आचम्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चमू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), from √चम्/चमू with उपसर्ग आ-; ‘having sipped (water)’

• विप्र-इन्द्र: O best of Brahmins
• विप्र-इन्द्र: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः’

• शुद्धिम्: purity
• शुद्धिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमाम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् शुद्धिम् प्रति

• दन्त-काष्ठम्: tooth-stick
• दन्त-काष्ठम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘दन्तानां काष्ठम्’ (tooth-stick)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: काल/क्रम (Temporal/Sequential adverb/काल-क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• खादेत्: should chew/eat
• खादेत्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खाद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• स-त्वचम्: with bark
• स-त्वचम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + त्वच्/त्वचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: ‘त्वचा सह’ = ‘with bark’; विशेषणम् दन्तकाष्ठम् प्रति

• शस्त-वृक्ष-जम्: from an approved tree
• शस्त-वृक्ष-जम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘शस्तस्य वृक्षस्य जातम्’ (born from a recommended tree); विशेषणम् दन्तकाष्ठम् प्रति

Speaker

Narada (in instruction to a brāhmaṇa interlocutor; traditional dialogue context within Narada Purana teachings)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It frames bodily cleanliness as a sacred prerequisite for higher practice: ācamana grants ritual purity, and disciplined follow-up acts like dantakāṣṭha support a state fit for worship, japa, and study.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While not directly describing bhakti emotions, it supports bhakti through preparation: purity and orderly conduct are presented as the practical foundation for approaching devotional acts such as pūjā, nāma-japa, and remembrance of the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual discipline (kalpa-style procedural purity): the sequence of ācamana followed by prescribed hygienic practice (dantakāṣṭha) as part of regulated daily observance.