Shloka 52

Devanagari script

वर्जयेद्दन्तकाष्ठन्तु तथैवार्कस्य वासरे / अभावे दन्त काष्ठस्य निषिद्धायां तथा तिथौ

Transliteration

varjayeddantakāṣṭhantu tathaivārkasya vāsare / abhāve danta kāṣṭhasya niṣiddhāyāṃ tathā tithau

Translation

One should avoid the tooth-stick (dantakāṣṭha), and likewise refrain from it on the Sun’s day (Sunday). If a tooth-stick is unavailable, then on prohibited lunar dates (niṣiddhā tithi) also one should abstain.

Word by Word

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid
• वर्जयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/विधिलिङ्-आदेशार्थ), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; धातुः वर्ज् = त्यागे (to avoid)

• दन्तकाष्ठम्: tooth-stick
• दन्तकाष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दन्तस्य काष्ठम्)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• एव: certainly/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle)

• अर्कस्य: of the Sun
• अर्कस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्

• वासरे: on the day
• वासरे: Adhikarana (Location/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• अभावे: in the absence
• अभावे: Adhikarana (Condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• दन्त: of tooth/teeth
• दन्त: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्; (पाठे पृथक् पदच्छेदः—समासार्थे)

• काष्ठस्य: of the stick/wood
• काष्ठस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्

• निषिद्धायाम्: when (it is) forbidden
• निषिद्धायाम्: Adhikarana (Condition/Time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निषिद्धा (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) √सिध्/√षिध् (निषेधे) → निषिद्धा = forbidden

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• तिथौ: on a lunar day (tithi)
• तिथौ: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Āhnika-śauca: observing prohibitions (niṣedha) regarding dantakāṣṭha by weekday and tithi.

Vedantic Theme: Adhikāra through śuddhi (fitness for worship arises from disciplined conduct).

Application: Follow a calendar-aware morning routine: avoid tooth-stick on Sundays and on prohibited tithis; substitute with permitted cleansing methods when needed.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213 (āhnika/śauca sequence: dantadhāvana, gāṇḍūṣa, snāna, japa)

Characters & Entities

• Arka (Surya)

FAQs

What is the importance of avoiding dantakāṣṭha in this Garuda Purana verse?

It frames oral cleansing as a dharmic act governed by time-rules (vāra and tithi), where certain days are treated as ritually restrictive for specific practices.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it supports the Garuda Purana theme that disciplined daily purity (ācāra) sustains merit (puṇya), which influences post-death outcomes described elsewhere in the text.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow a consistent purity routine while respecting traditional calendar-based restrictions; if you observe such vows, avoid tooth-stick use on Sunday and on traditionally prohibited tithis as per your sampradāya.