Shloka 18

Adhyaya 35 — Madālasa’s Instruction on Purity, Impurity, and Corrective Rites (Śauca and Aśauca)

Sanskrit

भस्माम्बुभिश्च कांस्यानां शुद्धिः प्लावाद् द्रवस्य च ।

अमेध्याक्तस्य मृत्तोयैर्गन्धापहरणेन च ॥

Transliteration

bhasmāmbubhiś ca kāṃsyānāṃ śuddhiḥ plāvād dravasya ca /

amedhyāktasya mṛt-toyair gandhāpaharaṇena ca //

Translation

Pour les vases de bronze, la purification se fait avec de la cendre et de l’eau; et pour les liquides, par décantation ou par débordement provoqué (plāva). Pour ce qui est enduit d’impureté, (la purification se fait) avec de l’argile et de l’eau, et aussi par la suppression de l’odeur.

Word by Word

• bhasma-ambubhiḥ: with ash and water
• bhasma-ambubhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक) + ambu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• kāṃsyānām: of bronze vessels
• kāṃsyānām: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāṃsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• śuddhiḥ: purification
• śuddhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• plāvāt: from rinsing/float-washing
• plāvāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: plāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (पञ्चमी/5), Singular (एकवचन)

• dravasya: of a liquid
• dravasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: drava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• amedhya-āktasya: of one smeared with impurity
• amedhya-āktasya: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amedhya (प्रातिपदिक) + ākta (कृदन्त; √añj ‘to smear’)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन); gender context-dependent; ‘smeared with impurity’

• mṛt-toyaiḥ: with earth and water
• mṛt-toyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)

• gandha-apaharaṇena: by removing the smell
• gandha-apaharaṇena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + apaharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

Speakers

• Instructional narrator within Dharma discourse (frame-speaker not explicit in provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "dharma", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Śauca (purity)
• Practical sanitation
• Odor as a marker of defilement

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purity is verified by sensible signs (like odor) and achieved by effective processes (overflow/decanting), emphasizing outcomes over mere declaration.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/dharma; not pancalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

Odor stands for lingering subtle impressions; removing smell parallels removing residual craving/aversion that remains even after gross cleansing.