Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

न कुर्याद् दन्तसंघर्षं न कुष्णीयाच् च नासिकाम् नासंवृतमुखो जृम्भेच् श्वासकासौ च वर्जयेत्

Transliteration

na kuryād dantasaṃgharṣaṃ na kuṣṇīyāc ca nāsikām nāsaṃvṛtamukho jṛmbhec śvāsakāsau ca varjayet

Translation

One should not grind the teeth together, nor pick at the nose; one should not yawn with the mouth uncovered, and one should avoid noisy breathing and coughing—thus maintaining bodily restraint and refined conduct in accordance with dharma.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

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

• दन्तसंघर्षम्: grinding the teeth
• दन्तसंघर्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + संघर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘दन्तानां संघर्षः’ = grinding of teeth

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• कुष्णीयात्: should blow
• कुष्णीयात्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कुष्णी/√कुष्ण (धातु; ‘to blow/clean the nose’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should blow (the nose)’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• नासिकाम्: the nose
• नासिकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नासिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नासंवृतमुखः: one with mouth not covered
• नासंवृतमुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: न (अव्यय) + संवृत (कृदन्त; √वृ धातु) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘यस्य मुखं न संवृतम्’ = whose mouth is not covered/closed

• जृम्भेत्: should yawn
• जृम्भेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जृम्भ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should yawn’

• श्वासकासौ: breathing hard and coughing
• श्वासकासौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वास (प्रातिपदिक) + कास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: श्वासश्च कासश्च

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid
• वर्जयेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should avoid’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Refined bodily etiquette (śiṣṭācāra) as part of dharma

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: practical

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Bodily restraint and decorum—avoiding crude habits—support dharma by cultivating self-control and respect for others.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt mindful etiquette and cleanliness; treat small habits as training for larger disciplines in speech and mind.

Vishishtadvaita: Śarīra (body) is a trust to be governed in a dharma-aligned way, fitting a life oriented toward the Lord.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of bodily discipline in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats small bodily habits as part of dharma, showing that righteousness includes everyday self-restraint and cleanliness, not only ritual or philosophy.

How does Sage Parāśara explain proper conduct here?

Parāśara presents concrete prohibitions—gnashing teeth, nose-picking, yawning with an uncovered mouth, and noisy breathing/coughing—to model cultured, disciplined behavior.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching aligns with Vaishnava dharma: orderly conduct supports purity of mind and steadiness for devotion to the Supreme Lord.