Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

प्रमाणं शौचसंख्याया नादिष्टैरवशिष्यते / शौचं तु द्विविधं प्रोक्तं बाह्यमाभ्यन्तरं तथा

Transliteration

pramāṇaṃ śaucasaṃkhyāyā nādiṣṭairavaśiṣyate / śaucaṃ tu dvividhaṃ proktaṃ bāhyamābhyantaraṃ tathā

Translation

Lorsque les règles prescrites ne sont pas observées, il ne demeure aucune mesure fixe pour compter les actes de purification. Le śauca (pureté) est déclaré de deux sortes : externe et interne.

Word by Word

• प्रमाणम्: measure, standard
• प्रमाणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter)

• शौचसंख्यायाः: of the number/count of purifications
• शौचसंख्यायाः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; genitive singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (शौचस्य संख्या)

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

• आदिष्टैः: by what has been prescribed
• आदिष्टैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + दिश् (धातु) → आदिष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; instrumental plural; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

• अवशिष्यते: remains
• अवशिष्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + शिष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; present indicative, 3rd person singular; आत्मनेपद

• शौचम्: purification, cleanliness
• शौचम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• द्विविधम्: twofold
• द्विविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular; द्विगु-समास (द्वौ विधौ यस्य)

• प्रोक्तम्: is said/declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; past passive participle used predicatively

• बाह्यम्: external
• बाह्यम्: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular

• आभ्यन्तरम्: internal
• आभ्यन्तरम्: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आभ्यन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: thus/also)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śauca is twofold—external cleanliness and internal purity; without adherence to injunctions, counting/measure of purification loses validity.

Vedantic Theme: Antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi as prerequisite for higher knowledge; outer acts are supports, inner intention is decisive.

Application: Treat cleanliness as both hygiene and ethical-mental integrity; follow prescribed method rather than mechanical repetition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.38-41 (ācāmana and aṅga-sparśa procedure)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of śauca (purity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse defines śauca as twofold—external and internal—showing that true purity is not only ritual washing but also inner moral and mental cleanliness aligned with prescribed dharma.

Does this verse explain the path of the soul after death?

Indirectly: by insisting on prescribed standards of purity, it supports the broader Garuda Purana theme that disciplined dharma and inner cleanliness shape one’s karmic outcomes and post-death trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow clear, consistent cleanliness and ritual rules (external śauca) while cultivating truthfulness, self-control, and purity of intention (internal śauca), treating both as necessary for dharmic life.