Vamana Purana — Rules of Purity (Shauca), Shloka 18

Rules of Purity (Śauca), Permissible Foods, and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

तस्य स्वरूपं वक्ष्यामः सदाचारस्य राक्षस शृणुष्वैकमनास्तच्च यदि श्रेयो ऽभिवाञ्छसि

Transliteration

tasya svarūpaṃ vakṣyāmaḥ sadācārasya rākṣasa śṛṇuṣvaikamanāstacca yadi śreyo 'bhivāñchasi

Translation

Wahai Rākṣasa, akan kujelaskan hakikat sejati dari tata laku benar itu. Jika engkau menginginkan kebaikan tertinggi, dengarkanlah dengan pikiran terpusat.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• स्वरूपम्: true nature / form
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• वक्ष्यामः: we shall tell
• वक्ष्यामः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• सदाचारस्य: of good conduct
• सदाचारस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद् + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• राक्षस: O rākṣasa
• राक्षस: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• एकमनाः: with single-minded attention
• एकमनाः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial qualifier of listener)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘एकं मनः यस्य सः’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Nimitta (निमित्त/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• श्रेयः: the good / welfare
• श्रेयः: Karma (कर्म/Object of ‘desire’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• अभिवाञ्छसि: you desire
• अभिवाञ्छसि: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + वाञ्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Purāṇic dialogue frame likely: Pulastya to Nārada; immediate addressee within the narrated scene is addressed as 'rākṣasa'

Key Themes

• Didactic instruction
• Sadācāra definition
• Śreyas (ultimate good)
• Attention and receptivity in learning dharma

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames dharma-learning as intentional and contemplative: the listener must be ekamanas (focused) to grasp sadācāra, which is directly linked to śreyas—lasting welfare rather than temporary gain.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

As with the surrounding verses, it is dharma-upadeśa (ethical instruction) within the Purāṇic narrative frame, serving the Purāṇa’s pedagogical function rather than cosmogenesis or dynastic history proper.

What is the symbolic significance?

Addressing even a ‘rākṣasa’ as eligible for śreyas underscores the Purāṇic universality of dharma: right conduct is available to all beings, and attentive listening is depicted as the first step in moral transformation.