Shloka 10

Purification of Substances (Dravya-Śuddhi) and Rules of Ācamana

Devanagari script

क्षुते निष्ठीविते स्वापे परिधाने ऽश्रुपातने / पञ्चस्वेतेषु नाचामेद्दक्षिणं श्रवणं स्पृशेत् / तिष्ठन्त्यग्न्यादयो देवा विप्रकर्णे तु दक्षिणे

Transliteration

kṣute niṣṭhīvite svāpe paridhāne 'śrupātane / pañcasveteṣu nācāmeddakṣiṇaṃ śravaṇaṃ spṛśet / tiṣṭhantyagnyādayo devā viprakarṇe tu dakṣiṇe

Translation

After sneezing, spitting, sleeping, putting on clothing, or when tears have fallen—on these five occasions one should not perform ācamana; instead, one should touch the right ear. For the deities beginning with Agni are said to abide in the right ear of a brāhmaṇa.

Word by Word

• kṣute: when (one) sneezes
• kṣute: Kāla/Avadhāraṇa (Circumstantial/काल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṣu (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; प्रसङ्गे सति-सप्तमीवत् (circumstantial)

• niṣṭhīvite: when spitting
• niṣṭhīvite: Kāla/Avadhāraṇa (Circumstantial/काल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: niṣ + √sthīv (धातु) → niṣṭhīvita (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): ‘when spitting’

• svāpe: in sleep; while sleeping
• svāpe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (प्रयोगभेद), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘sleep’ (locative: during sleep)

• paridhāne: while dressing/putting on clothes
• paridhāne: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pari + √dhā (धातु) → paridhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘putting on (clothes)’

• aśrupātane: when tears fall; during weeping
• aśrupātane: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśru (प्रातिपदिक) + pātana (√pat, धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘falling of tears’)

• pañcasu: in the five (cases)
• pañcasu: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañca (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (सर्वलिङ्ग), सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• eteṣu: in these
• eteṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (सर्वलिङ्ग), सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• ācāmet: should sip (perform ācāmana)
• ācāmet: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + √cam (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; निषेधसहित: ‘should not sip’

• dakṣiṇam: right
• dakṣiṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying śravaṇam)

• śravaṇam: ear
• śravaṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• spṛśet: should touch
• spṛśet: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √spṛś (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विधि (should)

• tiṣṭhanti: stand; are present
• tiṣṭhanti: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• agni: Agni (fire-god)
• agni: Samāsa-aṅga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (समासाङ्ग)

• ādayaḥ: and others
• ādayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = ‘and others’ (as noun: ‘etc. ones’)

• devāḥ: gods
• devāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• viprakarṇe: in the Brahmin’s ear
• viprakarṇe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: ‘in the Brahmin’s ear’)

• tu: but; indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोध (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• dakṣiṇe: in the right (side)
• dakṣiṇe: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying viprakarṇe: ‘in the right [ear]’)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa / Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual action is context-sensitive: in certain states, ācāmana is replaced by touching the right ear due to the indwelling of deities (Agni etc.).

Vedantic Theme: Body as a field of sacred correspondences (adhyātma-devatā sambandha), supporting disciplined conduct without mechanical ritualism.

Application: On five occasions (sneeze, spit, sleep, putting on clothes, tears), do not do ācāmana; instead touch the right ear as a sanctioned purification/rectification gesture.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Geographic Context

Type: body-locus (karmāṅga)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.97.9 (general rule to repeat ācāmana)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Devas
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the importance of touching the right ear in Garuda Purana?

This verse states that in specific everyday situations (sneeze, spit, sleep, dressing, tears) one should touch the right ear instead of doing ācamana, because deities such as Agni are held to reside there—making it a quick ritual safeguard of purity.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; it lays the foundation of dharmic discipline (śauca and proper conduct), which Garuḍa Purāṇa treats as supportive causes for auspicious karma and a steadier spiritual life.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow mindful cleanliness and composure in daily life: in the listed moments of bodily disturbance or emotion, pause and reset with a simple traditional gesture (touching the right ear) rather than performing formal sipping—maintaining reverence and routine purity.