Shloka 21

Procedure of Ācamana and Rules of Ritual Purity (Śauca)

Devanagari script

संमृज्यांगुष्ठमूलेन मुखं वै समुपस्पृशेत् । अंगुष्ठानामिकाभ्यां तु स्पृशेन्नेत्रद्वयं ततः

Transliteration

saṃmṛjyāṃguṣṭhamūlena mukhaṃ vai samupaspṛśet | aṃguṣṭhānāmikābhyāṃ tu spṛśennetradvayaṃ tataḥ

Translation

Después de limpiarse, debe tocarse la boca y purificarse con la base del pulgar. Luego, con el pulgar y el anular, debe tocar ambos ojos.

Word by Word

• saṃmṛjya: having wiped
• saṃmṛjya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam√mṛj (मृज् धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), indeclinable; ‘having wiped/cleansed’

• aṃguṣṭha-mūlena: with the base of the thumb
• aṃguṣṭha-mūlena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃguṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: aṃguṣṭhasya mūlam ‘base of the thumb’

• mukham: mouth/face
• mukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• sam-upaspṛśet: should duly touch/sip (perform ācamana)
• sam-upaspṛśet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + upa√spṛś (स्पृश् धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; with preverbs sam-, upa-

• aṃguṣṭha-nāmikābhyām: with the thumb and ring-finger
• aṃguṣṭha-nāmikābhyām: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃguṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + nāmikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine/dual-compound used as Instrumental Dual (3rd/तृतीया द्विवचन); द्वन्द्व: aṃguṣṭhaś ca nāmikā ca

• tu: then/and
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• spṛśet: should touch
• spṛśet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: spṛś (स्पृश् धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• netra-dvayam: the pair of eyes
• netra-dvayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक) + dvi (द्वि संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; द्विगु: dve netre ‘the two eyes’

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तसिल्-अव्यय)

Speaker

Unspecified (instructional/normative voice within the chapter’s ritual guidance)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: saṃmṛjyāṃguṣṭhamūlena = saṃmṛjya + aṃguṣṭhamūlena; samupaspṛśet = sam + upaspṛśet; spṛśennetradvayam = spṛśet + netradvayam

FAQs

What practice is this verse describing?

It gives a procedural instruction associated with śauca (cleanliness) and ācamana-style ritual acts, specifying how to touch the mouth and then the eyes using particular fingers.

Why are specific fingers mentioned for touching the eyes?

Dharmic and ritual manuals often prescribe precise hand-finger usage to standardize purity actions; the verse encodes that conventional rule by naming the thumb-base for the mouth and thumb with ring finger for the eyes.

What is the ethical or spiritual takeaway of this instruction?

It emphasizes mindful discipline in small actions—cleanliness, restraint, and attentiveness—treating bodily acts as part of a broader dharmic orientation toward purity and self-regulation.