Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

प्रक्षाल्य भुक्त्वा च शुचौ देशे त्यक्त्वा तदाचामेत् / अमायां च तथा षष्ठ्यां नवम्यां प्रतिपद्यपि

Transliteration

prakṣālya bhuktvā ca śucau deśe tyaktvā tadācāmet / amāyāṃ ca tathā ṣaṣṭhyāṃ navamyāṃ pratipadyapi

Translation

手足と口を洗い清めてから、清浄な場所で食事をし、食後には ācamana（儀礼の啜水）を行うべきである。これは特に amāvāsyā（新月）、ṣaṣṭhī（第六日）、navamī（第九日）、そして pratipad（朔日）に守るべき作法である。

Word by Word

• प्रक्षाल्य: having washed
• प्रक्षाल्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + क्षल् (धातु) → प्रक्षाल्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) = ‘having washed’

• भुक्त्वा: having eaten
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भुक्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive) = ‘having eaten’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/ conjunction)

• शुचौ: clean
• शुचौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (देशे)

• देशे: in a place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• त्यक्त्वा: having left/abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) → त्यक्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive) = ‘having abandoned/left (it)’

• तत्: that (i.e., it)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आचामेत्: should perform ācamana (sip water)
• आचामेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चम (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अमायाम्: on the new-moon day (amāvāsyā)
• अमायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/ conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = ‘likewise/also’

• षष्ठ्याम्: on the sixth lunar day
• षष्ठ्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षष्ठी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• नवम्याम्: on the ninth lunar day
• नवम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• प्रतिपद्य: on the pratipadā (first lunar day)
• प्रतिपद्य: Adhikarana (Time/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + पद् (धातु) → प्रतिपद्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष-अव्यय (absolutive) = ‘having reached/when it is’ (here: ‘on the pratipadā’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle) = ‘also/even’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instructing Garuda/Vainateya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śauca and ācamana sanctify nourishment; time (tithi) disciplines the senses and aligns daily life with dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Food as yajña-support: purity in intake supports sattva and steadiness; mindful closure (ācamana) seals the act.

Application: Wash before meals, eat in a clean place, and perform ācamana after; be extra attentive on amāvāsyā, ṣaṣṭhī, navamī, and pratipad.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: clean dining space/ritual threshold

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213 (bhojana-vidhi and śauca sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of ācamana (sipping water) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents ācamana as a post-meal purification act that seals cleanliness after eating, aligning the body and mind with dharmic discipline.

Why are Amāvāsyā, Ṣaṣṭhī, Navamī, and Pratipad mentioned here?

These lunar days (tithis) are treated as spiritually sensitive times when stricter purity and correct conduct are emphasized, so the text highlights careful washing, clean seating, and ācamana on these days.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Eat mindfully in a clean space, wash properly before meals, and end meals with a brief water-sipping/purification pause (or a simple mindful rinse), especially on observance days you follow.