Shloka 24

Adhyaya 35 — Madālasa’s Instruction on Purity, Impurity, and Corrective Rites (Śauca and Aśauca)

Sanskrit

रथ्यावसर्पणस्नानक्षुत्पानम्लानकर्मसु ।

आचामेत यथान्यायं वासो विपरिधाय च ॥

Transliteration

rathyāvasarpaṇa-snāna-kṣut-pāna-mlāna-karmasu | ācāmeta yathā-nyāyaṃ vāso viparidhāya ca ||

Translation

After moving about in the street, after bathing, after eating and drinking, and after work that causes fatigue, one should perform ācamana according to rule and also change or adjust one’s garments appropriately.

Word by Word

• रथ्या-अवसर्पण-स्नान-क्षुत्-पान-म्लान-कर्मसु: in (these) activities: moving in the street, bathing, eating/drinking, fatigue-related acts
• रथ्या-अवसर्पण-स्नान-क्षुत्-पान-म्लान-कर्मसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rathyā (प्रातिपदिक) + avasarpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; from ava-√sṛp (सृप्)) + snāna (प्रातिपदिक; from √snā (स्ना)) + kṣut (प्रातिपदिक) + pāna (प्रातिपदिक; from √pā (पा)) + mlāna (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; from √mlā (म्ला)) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (locative plural) ‘in acts such as street-walking/crawling, bathing, eating when hungry, drinking, and (after) fatigue’

• आचामेत: one should sip (water) / perform ācamana
• आचामेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√cam (चम्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यथा-न्यायम्: according to proper rule
• यथा-न्यायम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + nyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; अव्यय (adverbial) = ‘according to rule/properly’

• वासः: garment/clothing
• वासः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• विपरिधाय: having put on (it)
• विपरिधाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-pari-√dhā (धा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) = ‘having put on/worn’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speakers

• Dharma-instructional narration within the Purāṇic discourse (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Daily ritual
• Ācamana
• Householder discipline

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Small, repeatable acts of order (ācamana, proper dress) are treated as dharma: purity is maintained through steady discipline rather than occasional extremes.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/dharma instruction; not a pancalakṣaṇa narrative element.

What is the esoteric significance?

Ācamana symbolizes re-centering speech and intention; changing garments suggests shedding impressions (saṃskāras) gathered through worldly contact.