Shloka 22

गृहस्थस्य सदाचारः: शौच, तर্পण, वैश्वदेव, अतिथिधर्म, भोजन-विधि, संध्योपासन, ऋतु-धर्मः

Devanagari script

स्वाचान्तश् च ततः कुर्यात् पुमान् केशप्रसाधनम् आदर्शाञ्जनमाङ्गल्यं दुर्वाद्यालम्भनानि च

Transliteration

svācāntaś ca tataḥ kuryāt pumān keśaprasādhanam ādarśāñjanamāṅgalyaṃ durvādyālambhanāni ca

Translation

Having duly performed ācamana for purification, a man should then groom his hair in order; he should look into a mirror, apply anjana to the eyes, and touch auspicious substances such as durvā grass, so that the day begins in purity and sacred good fortune.

Word by Word

• स्वाचान्तः: having sipped water (for purification) oneself
• स्वाचान्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आचान्त (कृदन्त; आ-चम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle)

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

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (ablatival adverb: "thereafter")

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुमान्: a man
• पुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• केशप्रसाधनम्: arranging/combing the hair
• केशप्रसाधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रसाधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (केशानां प्रसाधनम्)

• आदर्श: mirror
• आदर्श: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (समाहार-निर्देशः)

• अञ्जन: collyrium/eyeliner
• अञ्जन: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• माङ्गल्यम्: auspicious rite/item
• माङ्गल्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माङ्गल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दुर्वा: dūrvā grass
• दुर्वा: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• आदि: and the like
• आदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक/समाहारार्थक अव्यय (etc.)

• आलम्भनानि: things to be held/touched (ritual tokens)
• आलम्भनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलम्भन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

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

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya on dharma and daily observances)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Daily dharma (dinacaryā): purification and auspicious morning observances

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: External purity and mañgala-ācāra (auspicious conduct) are to be adopted as supports for a dharmic day and inner steadiness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Begin the day with simple purification and intentional, sattvic routines that orient the mind toward duty and worship.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma as embodied service is meaningful because the self acts within the Lord’s order and for His pleasure.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of ācamana and auspicious morning acts in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames the start of the day as a movement from purification (ācamana) into auspicious alignment (māṅgalya) through simple, symbolic acts, expressing dharma as an ordered life lived under sacred discipline.

How does Sage Parāśara explain daily conduct (āhnika) to Maitreya here?

Parāśara lists sequential, practical observances—first purification, then personal grooming and auspicious contacts—presenting dharma as a lived routine rather than mere theory.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named, the Purana’s dharma-teaching assumes a cosmos governed by the Supreme Lord; orderly, auspicious daily acts are portrayed as harmonizing the individual with that divine order.