Shloka 109

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

अस्नातस्तु पुमान्नार्हे जपाग्निहवनादिषु / प्रातः स्नानं तदर्थं तु नित्यस्नानं प्रकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

asnātastu pumānnārhe japāgnihavanādiṣu / prātaḥ snānaṃ tadarthaṃ tu nityasnānaṃ prakīrtitam

Translation

L’homme qui ne s’est pas baigné n’est pas apte aux actes tels que la récitation de mantras (japa), les offrandes au feu (homa) et autres. C’est pourquoi le bain du matin—accompli à cette fin—est déclaré être le bain quotidien obligatoire.

Word by Word

• अस्नातः: one who has not bathed
• अस्नातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-स्नात (प्रातिपदिक; स्ना-धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययः)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नञ्-पूर्वकः; विशेषणम् (पुमान् इति)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-अव्ययम् (particle: but/indeed)

• पुमान्: a man/person
• पुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

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

• अर्हे: is fit/eligible
• अर्हे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह (धातु/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; ‘is fit/eligible’

• जप: in recitations
• जप: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (समासान्ते -आदिṣu)

• अग्निहवन: in fire-offerings
• अग्निहवन: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + हवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (समासान्ते -आदिṣu); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अग्नेः हवनम्)

• आदिṣu: etc. (in such acts)
• आदिṣu: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘etc.’-अर्थे (जप-अग्निहवन-आदि-समूहे)

• प्रातः: in the morning
• प्रातः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्ययम् (adverb of time: in the morning)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तदर्थम्: for that purpose
• तदर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य अर्थः = for that purpose)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्ययम् (particle)

• नित्यस्नानम्: daily bath
• नित्यस्नानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (नित्यं स्नानम्)

• प्रकीर्तितम्: is declared
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कीर्त् (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्तः, नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ritual eligibility depends on purity; morning bath is nitya because it enables core religious practices.

Vedantic Theme: Discipline (niyama) as sattva-enhancing; outer order supports inner steadiness for mantra and worship.

Application: Before meditation, mantra, or any sacred routine, perform basic cleansing—ideally a morning bath—so practice begins from a ‘clean slate’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: domestic/ritual setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.108 (nitya snāna category); Garuda Purana 1.213.107 (materials and natural water)

Characters & Entities

• Agni

FAQs

What is the importance of morning bath (prātaḥ-snāna) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that morning bathing is a daily obligation because it makes a person eligible for sacred acts like japa and homa.

Does the Garuda Purana link ritual acts like japa and havana to bodily purity?

Yes. The verse explicitly says an unbathed person is not fit (nārha) for japa, agnihavana, and related rites, implying purification as a prerequisite.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Before prayer, mantra practice, or any formal worship, perform basic cleansing—ideally a morning bath—to cultivate readiness, discipline, and reverence for the ritual.