Shloka 22

Ācamana-vidhi, Śauca, and Conduct Rules for Study, Eating, and Bodily Functions

Devanagari script

कनिष्ठाङ्गुष्ठयोगेन श्रवणे समुपस्पृशेत् / सर्वासामथ योगेन हृदयं तु तलेन वा / संस्पृशेद् वा शिरस्तद्वदङ्गुष्ठेनाथवा द्वयम्

Transliteration

kaniṣṭhāṅguṣṭhayogena śravaṇe samupaspṛśet / sarvāsāmatha yogena hṛdayaṃ tu talena vā / saṃspṛśed vā śirastadvadaṅguṣṭhenāthavā dvayam

Translation

小指を親指に合わせて、やさしく両耳に触れる。次に、すべての指を一つの印（ムドラー）としてまとめ、掌で心臓に触れる。あるいは同様に、親指で、または両手を合わせて頭頂に触れる。

Word by Word

• कनिष्ठाङ्गुष्ठयोगेन: with the joining of little finger and thumb
• कनिष्ठाङ्गुष्ठयोगेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कनिष्ठा + अङ्गुष्ठ + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: कनिष्ठायाः अङ्गुष्ठस्य च योगः); पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन; ‘with the joining of little finger and thumb’

• श्रवणे: on the ears
• श्रवणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी (Loc. 7), द्विवचन; ‘in/on the ears’

• समुपस्पृशेत्: should touch
• समुपस्पृशेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सर्वासाम्: of all
• सर्वासाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वा) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), षष्ठी (Gen. 6), बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘of all (fingers)’ (elliptic)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction/particle); ‘then/next’

• योगेन: by joining
• योगेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन; ‘by union/combination’

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन

• तु: and/then
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• तलेन: with the palm
• तलेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन; ‘with the palm’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle); ‘or’

• संस्पृशेत्: should touch
• संस्पृशेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should touch’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय; ‘or’

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन

• तद्वत्: likewise
• तद्वत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial), तुल्यवाचक; ‘likewise/in the same way’

• अङ्गुष्ठेन: with the thumb
• अङ्गुष्ठेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन; ‘with the thumb’

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ + वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conj.), विकल्पार्थक; ‘or else’

• द्वयम्: the pair/both
• द्वयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन; ‘a pair/both’ (contextual object)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in yogic/ritual procedure (nyāsa-style aṅga-sparśa)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Yoga (nyāsa/aṅga-sparśa)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By prescribing disciplined bodily touch-points (ears, heart, head) as part of yoga, the verse implies that realization of the Self is supported by ordered inwardness: the senses are quieted (ears), the inner seat is recollected (heart), and awareness is gathered at the crown (head).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights nyāsa-like aṅga-sparśa: specific hand-finger unions (mudrā-style joining of thumb with little finger, then all fingers together) and mindful touching of ears, heart, and head—used to seal attention, restrain sensory flow, and stabilize mantra-dhyāna in the Kurma Purana’s yoga-vidhi.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

Though spoken by Lord Kurma (Vishnu), the technique aligns with Śaiva-Pāśupata ritual-yoga idioms (nyāsa, mudrā, aṅga-sparśa), reflecting the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Vishnu teaches methods resonant with Shaiva yoga discipline.