Shloka 27

सदाचार-नियमाः: शील, संयम, संग-निषेध, शुचिता, वाणी-नीति, परोपकारः

Devanagari script

सोमाग्न्यर्काम्बुवायूनां पूज्यानां च न संमुखम् कुर्यात् ष्ठीवनविण्मूत्रसमुत्सर्गं च पण्डितः

Transliteration

somāgnyarkāmbuvāyūnāṃ pūjyānāṃ ca na saṃmukham kuryāt ṣṭhīvanaviṇmūtrasamutsargaṃ ca paṇḍitaḥ

Translation

A wise person should never discharge spittle, feces, or urine while facing the Moon, Fire, the Sun, Water, the Wind, or any being worthy of reverence.

Word by Word

• सोमाग्न्यर्काम्बुवायूनाम्: of Soma, Agni, the Sun, water, and wind
• सोमाग्न्यर्काम्बुवायूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बु (प्रातिपदिक) + वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (समाहार-द्वन्द्वे सामान्यतः नपुंसकं, परन्तु अत्र षष्ठी-बहुवचन-रूपेण देवतानाम्/तत्त्वानाम्), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्; द्वन्द्वसमासः (Somāgni-arka-ambu-vāyu)

• पूज्यानाम्: of the venerable (ones)
• पूज्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying the preceding group: ‘venerable’)

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

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• संमुखम्: facing; in front
• संमुखम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: संमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): ‘संमुखम्’ = सम्मुखे/समक्षम् (in front; facing)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ष्ठीवनविण्मूत्रसमुत्सर्गम्: the discharge of spittle, feces, and urine
• ष्ठीवनविण्मूत्रसमुत्सर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ष्ठीवन (प्रातिपदिक) + विण्/विण् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘विष्ठा’ अर्थे) + मूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + समुत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः: ष्ठीवनस्य विण्मूत्रस्य च समुत्सर्गः (discharge of spittle, feces, and urine)

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

• पण्डितः: a learned person
• पण्डितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Norms of śauca (purity) and avoidance of apavitra acts toward revered cosmic deities (Sun, Fire, etc.)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: One must not perform impure bodily acts facing revered cosmic deities, because dharma is upheld through disciplined respect for the sacred order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Maintain basic ritual hygiene and mindful orientation; treat natural forces (sun, fire, water, wind) as sacred presences rather than mere utilities.

Vishishtadvaita: The world is Bhagavān’s body (śarīra), so reverence toward cosmic elements becomes reverence toward the Lord’s immanent order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Dasya

Characters & Entities

• Soma (Moon)
• Agni (Fire)
• Surya/Arka (Sun)
• Ap/Water
• Vayu (Wind)

FAQs

What is the significance of facing the Sun, Moon, Fire, Water, and Wind in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats these cosmic powers as venerable witnesses of dharma; turning away during bodily discharge expresses reverence and preserves ritual and moral purity.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper conduct (ācāra) to Maitreya here?

He gives practical purity rules that train self-restraint, showing that dharma is lived through everyday actions, not only through formal worship.

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

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the discipline it teaches aligns the person with the cosmic order ultimately sustained by Vishnu as the Supreme Reality and inner ruler of the universe.