Shloka 12

Dietary Rules & Purification — Dietary Rules, Purification (Śauca), and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

केशकीटावपन्ने ऽन्ने गोघ्राते मक्षिकान्विते मृदम्बुभस्मक्षाराणि प्रक्षेप्तव्यानि शुद्धये

Transliteration

keśakīṭāvapanne 'nne goghrāte makṣikānvite mṛdambubhasmakṣārāṇi prakṣeptavyāni śuddhaye

Translation

Wenn Speise durch Haare oder Insekten verunreinigt ist, von einer Kuh beschnuppert wurde oder von Fliegen befallen ist, sollen Erde (Ton), Wasser, Asche und Lauge/Alkali zur Reinigung beigemischt werden.

Word by Word

• केश-कीट-अवपन्ने: when (food) is fallen into hair/insects; contaminated with hair and insects
• केश-कीट-अवपन्ने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक) + कीट (प्रातिपदिक) + अवपन्न (कृदन्त, √पद्/पत् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (केशैः कीटैश्च अवपन्ने)

• अन्ने: in food
• अन्ने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• गो-घ्राते: smelled by cows
• गो-घ्राते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + घ्रात (कृदन्त, √घ्रा धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गोभिः घ्राते = smelled by cows)

• मक्षिका-अन्विते: accompanied by flies / fly-infested
• मक्षिका-अन्विते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मक्षिका (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त, √इ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7 विभक्ति), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मक्षिकाभिः अन्विते)

• मृद्-अम्बु-भस्म-क्षाराणि: clay, water, ash, and alkali
• मृद्-अम्बु-भस्म-क्षाराणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक) + भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (मृच्चाम्बु च भस्म च क्षारं च)

• प्रक्षेप्तव्यानि: should be thrown in / are to be added
• प्रक्षेप्तव्यानि: Vidhi (विधेय/आज्ञा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रक्षेप्तव्य (कृदन्त, √क्षिप् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-तव्यत् (gerundive: ‘to be thrown in’); उपसर्गः प्र-

• शुद्धये: for purification
• शुद्धये: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4 विभक्ति), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (dative of purpose)

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (standard Vāmana Purāṇa dialogue frame; specific attribution not explicit in the verse)

Key Themes

• Vrata/Rituals
• Dharma (Ācāra)
• Śauca (Purity)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purity is treated as a practical ethical discipline: contamination (physical contact, pests, odor) is addressed through accessible purifiers (earth, water, ash, alkali), emphasizing cleanliness, health, and restraint rather than waste.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is ancillary ācāra/dharma material (not one of the core pañcalakṣaṇa topics like sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita). It functions as a dharma-śāstra style insertion within the Purāṇa.

What is the symbolic significance?

Earth, water, ash, and alkali represent elemental and transformative cleansers—removing visible impurity and subtle disgust (jugupsā), restoring the food’s fitness for dharmic consumption.