Shloka 65

Saṅkara-jāti-nirṇaya and Gṛhastha-ācāra: Daily Rites, Purity, Anadhyāya, and Food Discipline

Devanagari script

भक्तं पर्युषितोच्छिष्टं श्वस्पृष्टं पतितो (ते) क्षितम् / उदक्यास्पृष्टसंघुष्टमपर्याप्तं च वर्जयेत्

Transliteration

bhaktaṃ paryuṣitocchiṣṭaṃ śvaspṛṣṭaṃ patito (te) kṣitam / udakyāspṛṣṭasaṃghuṣṭamaparyāptaṃ ca varjayet

Translation

One should renounce food that is stale or left over, that has been touched by a dog, that has fallen upon the ground (or been touched by an impure/fallen person), that has been contaminated by a menstruating woman, that has been defiled by contact or disturbance, and that is insufficient or improperly measured.

Word by Word

• भक्तम्: food (meal)
• भक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; 'भक्त' = भोजन/भोजनम्

• पर्युषित: stale (kept overnight)
• पर्युषित: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि+उष् (धातु) → पर्युषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'stale/kept overnight'

• उच्छिष्टम्: leftover (impure)
• उच्छिष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'leftover/contaminated by eating'

• पर्युषितोच्छिष्टम्: stale-leftover (impure)
• पर्युषितोच्छिष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्युषित + उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'stale and leftover'

• श्वस्पृष्टम्: touched by a dog
• श्वस्पृष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्पृष्ट (स्पृश् धातु, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्वनः स्पृष्टम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'touched by a dog'

• पतित: fallen
• पतित: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'fallen'

• क्षितम्: dropped on the ground
• क्षितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षि (धातु) → क्षित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'thrown down/laid on ground'

• उदक्या: (by) a menstruating woman
• उदक्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; 'menstruating woman' (contextual)

• स्पृष्ट: touched
• स्पृष्ट: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु) → स्पृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'touched'

• संघुष्टम्: defiled/contaminated
• संघुष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+घुष् (धातु) → संघुष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'polluted/defiled by contact/noise' (context: contaminated)

• उदक्यास्पृष्टसंघुष्टम्: touched/defiled by a menstruating woman
• उदक्यास्पृष्टसंघुष्टम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदक्या + स्पृष्ट + संघुष्ट (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उदक्यया स्पृष्टं संघुष्टं च); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपर्याप्तम्: insufficient
• अपर्याप्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- + पर्याप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'insufficient/inadequate'

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

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid
• वर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'should avoid'

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Āhāra-śuddhi (purity of food) as a foundation for purity of mind and ritual eligibility.

Vedantic Theme: Sattva-śuddhi leading to antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi; food as a causal support for guṇa-balance and dharmic life.

Application: Avoid stale/leftover and contaminated food; maintain hygienic storage, protect food from animals/ground contact, and observe traditional impurity rules around menstruation and defilement.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: household/kitchen (gṛha-pākaśālā) implied

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.96 (context: āhāra-vidhi/śauca and prohibited foods)

FAQs

What is the importance of food purity in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats food as a dharmic discipline: avoiding contaminated or ritually impure food supports śauca (purity) and right conduct (ācāra), which are foundational for spiritual life.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly, it emphasizes ethical and ritual discipline in embodied life; such daily observances are part of dharma that shapes karmic outcomes, which the Garuda Purana links to post-death experiences.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain cleanliness in cooking and eating, avoid stale/contaminated leftovers, and treat food preparation as a mindful practice aligned with health, hygiene, and respectful ritual conduct.