Shloka 3
Dhūpa-Lepa-Mantra-Prayoga: Vaśīkaraṇa, Rakṣā, Jvara-nāśa, and Stambhana Applications
मैथुनं पुरुषो गच्छेद्गृह्णीयात्स्वकमिन्द्रियम् / वामहस्तेन वामञ्च हस्तं लिंपेत्तु यत्स्त्रियाः / आलिप्ता स्त्री वशं याति नान्यं पुरुषमिच्छति
maithunaṃ puruṣo gacchedgṛhṇīyātsvakamindriyam / vāmahastena vāmañca hastaṃ liṃpettu yatstriyāḥ / āliptā strī vaśaṃ yāti nānyaṃ puruṣamicchati
Quand un homme s’avance vers l’union charnelle, qu’il maîtrise d’abord ses propres sens. De la main gauche, qu’il enduise la main gauche de la femme d’un certain onguent ; ainsi ointe, la femme passe sous son ascendant et ne désire nul autre homme.
Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within a prescriptive section)
Concept: Self-control is named (gṛhṇīyāt svakam indriyam) yet immediately redirected toward controlling another—highlighting ethical ambiguity and the primacy of inner restraint in dharmic reading.
Vedantic Theme: Indriya-nigraha (sense-control) as prerequisite for freedom; misapplication toward domination reinforces bondage (bandha) through rāga and ahaṅkāra.
Application: At the time of maithuna, the man should restrain his own faculty; with left hand apply the smear to the woman’s left hand; the verse claims this produces exclusive attachment.
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.180.2 (preceding lepa recipe)
FAQs
The verse explicitly frames sexual activity as something that should be governed by self-control (grasping one’s indriya), presenting restraint as the ethical foundation even within household life.
It reads as a prescriptive instruction delivered by Vishnu to Garuda in a practical teaching section, emphasizing conduct and techniques rather than afterlife geography or punishments.
Treat intimacy as an area requiring personal discipline and responsibility; prioritize consent, fidelity, and self-restraint, and avoid coercive interpretations that conflict with dharmic ethics.