Shloka 108

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

नित्यं नैमित्तिकं काम्यं क्रियाङ्गं मलकर्षणम् / मार्जनाचमावगाहाश्चाष्टस्नानं प्रकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

nityaṃ naimittikaṃ kāmyaṃ kriyāṅgaṃ malakarṣaṇam / mārjanācamāvagāhāścāṣṭasnānaṃ prakīrtitam

Translation

The baths and purifications are proclaimed to be eightfold: the daily bath; the occasional, cause-based bath (naimittika); the desire-motivated bath for a sought result (kāmya); the bath performed as a limb of a rite; the scrubbing that removes impurity; cleansing by wiping or smearing; ācamanam, the purificatory sipping of water; and immersion in water.

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: daily
• नित्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणरूपेण (स्नानस्य प्रकारः)

• नैमित्तिकम्: occasional (due to a cause)
• नैमित्तिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• काम्यम्: desire-motivated/optional
• काम्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• क्रियाङ्गम्: a limb/auxiliary of a rite
• क्रियाङ्गम्: Visheshya (Head/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्रियायाः अङ्गम्)

• मलकर्षणम्: removal of impurity
• मलकर्षणम्: Visheshya (Head/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मलस्य कर्षणम्)

• मार्जन: wiping/cleansing
• मार्जन: Visheshya (Enumerated item/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समाहार-गणनायाम् (सूच्यते)

• आचम: sipping (ācamana)
• आचम: Visheshya (Enumerated item/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (आचमनम् इत्यर्थे)

• अवगाहाः: immersions/dippings
• अवगाहाः: Visheshya (Enumerated item/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवगाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• अष्टस्नानम्: the eightfold bathing (set of eight)
• अष्टस्नानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; द्विगु-समासः (अष्टानां स्नानानां समाहारः)

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is proclaimed/declared
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कीर्त् (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययः), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘is declared’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda, Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Purification is multi-modal: time-based (nitya/naimittika), intention-based (kāmya), rite-limb (kriyāṅga), and technique-based (mala-kārṣaṇa, mārjana, ācamanam, avagāha).

Vedantic Theme: Karma as a means to citta-śuddhi; classification (viveka) applied to conduct—orderliness supporting sattva.

Application: Choose the appropriate purification method to context: daily bath, occasioned bath after impurity, ācamanam for quick readiness, full immersion when required.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.109 (nitya bath prerequisite for japa/homa); Garuda Purana 1.213.110 (naimittika triggers); Garuda Purana 1.213.111 (kāmya baths like Puṣya-snāna)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of aṣṭa-snāna (eightfold bathing) in Garuda Purana?

This verse systematizes purification into eight recognized forms, showing that “snāna” includes not only immersion but also ritual acts like ācamanam and mārjana—making cleanliness integral to dharma and the efficacy of rites.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it frames purity as a dharmic discipline: orderly purification supports right ritual action (kriyāṅga) and ethical living, which the Garuda Purana links with karmic outcomes after death.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain daily cleanliness, use ācamanam or mindful water-sipping before worship/ritual, and treat purification as contextual—daily, occasion-based, or rite-based—rather than a one-size-fits-all practice.