Shloka 58

Dietary Rules & Purification — Dietary Rules, Purification (Śauca), and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

होमस्त्रिषवणं स्नानं जटावल्कलधारणम् वन्यस्नेहनिषेवित्वं वानप्रस्थविधिस्त्वयम्

Transliteration

homastriṣavaṇaṃ snānaṃ jaṭāvalkaladhāraṇam vanyasnehaniṣevitvaṃ vānaprasthavidhistvayam

Translation

L’offrande du homa, le bain aux trois jonctions du jour, le port de la jaṭā (chevelure emmêlée) et de vêtements d’écorce, et l’usage exclusif de graisses provenant de la forêt : telle est la règle prescrite pour le vānaprastha.

Word by Word

• होमः: fire-offering, homa
• होमः: Karta/Viṣaya (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्रि-सवणम्: the three daily observances
• त्रि-सवणम्: Karta/Viṣaya (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + सवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः: त्रयाणां सवणानां समाहारः (three daily rites/pressings)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta/Viṣaya (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जटा-अवल्कल-धारणम्: wearing matted hair and bark garments
• जटा-अवल्कल-धारणम्: Karta/Viṣaya (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + अवल्कल (प्रातिपदिक) + धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: जटायाः अवल्कलस्य च धारणम् (wearing matted hair and bark-garments)

• वन्य-स्नेह-निषेवित्वम्: use of forest oils/fats
• वन्य-स्नेह-निषेवित्वम्: Karta/Viṣaya (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक) + निषेवित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: वन्यस्य स्नेहस्य निषेवित्वम् (use/consumption of forest oils/fats)

• वानप्रस्थ-विधिः: the rule/discipline of the forest-dweller
• वानप्रस्थ-विधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानप्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: वानप्रस्थस्य विधिः (rule of the forest-dweller)

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: ‘indeed/but’)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta-sāmānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; ‘विधिः’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्

Speakers

• Not explicit in excerpt; likely within the standard Pulastya → Nārada instructional frame (uncertain without surrounding text).

Key Themes

• Varnashrama-Dharma
• Vānaprastha
• Nitya-karma (daily rites)
• Homa
• Tri-sandhya/tri-savana discipline
• Ascetic clothing

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse emphasizes regulated spirituality: even in withdrawal to the forest, one maintains daily sacred rhythm (thrice bathing; fire-rites) and adopts external simplicity (jaṭā, bark cloth) matched by internal discipline.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is dharma-śāstra-like material embedded in a Purāṇa (ācāra/dharma instruction). It does not directly map to sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita, but functions as ancillary dharma teaching typical of Purāṇic compendia.

What is the symbolic significance?

Triṣavaṇa bathing and homa sacralize time (daily cycles) and purify the practitioner; jaṭā-valkala signify deliberate de-emphasis of social status and sensuality; 'vanya-sneha' indicates dependence on nature with minimal processing—an ethic of non-excess.