Vamana Purana — Dietary Rules & Purification, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

वाक्प्रशस्तं चिरातीतमनेकान्तरितं लघु चेष्टितं बालवृद्धानां बालस्य च मुखं शुचि

Transliteration

vākpraśastaṃ cirātītamanekāntaritaṃ laghu ceṣṭitaṃ bālavṛddhānāṃ bālasya ca mukhaṃ śuci

Translation

प्रशंसनीय वाणी वह है जो न बहुत लंबी हो, न बहुत पुराने प्रसंगों में अटकी रहे, न इधर‑उधर भटके, और संक्षिप्त व हल्की हो। बालक और वृद्ध की स्वाभाविक चेष्टाएँ शुद्ध मानी जाती हैं; बालक का मुख भी शुद्ध है।

Word by Word

• वाक्-प्रशस्तम्: praised for speech / well-spoken
• वाक्-प्रशस्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रशस्त (कृदन्त, √शंस् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वाचः प्रशस्तम्)

• चिर-अतीतम्: long past / long gone
• चिर-अतीतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अतीत (कृदन्त, √इ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (चिरं अतीतम्)

• अनेक-अन्तरितम्: interrupted by many intervals / much separated
• अनेक-अन्तरितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तरित (कृदन्त, √अन्तर्/अन्तरि धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अनेकैः अन्तरितम् = separated by many intervals)

• लघु: light / small
• लघु: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लघु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः)

• चेष्टितम्: conduct / behavior
• चेष्टितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्टित (कृदन्त, √चेष्ट् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• बाल-वृद्धानाम्: of children and the aged
• बाल-वृद्धानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6 विभक्ति), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (बालाश्च वृद्धाश्च)

• बालस्य: of a child
• बालस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मुखम्: face / mouth
• मुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन

• शुचि: pure / clean
• शुचि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speakers

• Not stated in the provided excerpt (Vāmana Purāṇa commonly frames narration as Pulastya → Nārada
• but not confirmable from these verses alone)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Śauca (purity)
• Ethics of speech
• Smṛti-style social norms

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purity is not only physical but also ethical: disciplined, concise, non-digressive speech is treated as a virtue. The text also normalizes compassion and practical purity rules by declaring children’s and the elderly’s inadvertent actions as non-defiling, reflecting a dharma that balances ideal conduct with human limitation.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This passage aligns best with ancillary dharma material rather than the five defining marks (pañcalakṣaṇa). It is closest to practical dharma/ācāra instruction often embedded within Purāṇic narration, not directly to sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita.

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘purity of speech’ symbolizes inner śauca—clarity and restraint of mind. Declaring the child’s mouth pure can be read as affirming innocence and the non-culpability of those without full agency, a recurring dharmic principle.