Shloka 5
Kārttika-vrata Discipline: Purity Rules, Morning Bath Saṅkalpa, Tilaka Injunctions, and Food Prohibitions
अत्युत्तमेषु स्थानेषु मलमूत्रं न कारयेत् । शुद्धां मृदं गृहीत्वाथ वामं प्रक्षालयेत्करम्
atyuttameṣu sthāneṣu malamūtraṃ na kārayet | śuddhāṃ mṛdaṃ gṛhītvātha vāmaṃ prakṣālayetkaram
最もすぐれた聖なる場所では、大小便をしてはならない。清浄な土を取り（浄めのために）、それから左手を洗い清めるべきである。
Unspecified (narratorial/instructional voice within the Brahma-khaṇḍa context)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Type: tirtha
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अत्युत्तमेषु → अति + उत्तमेषु; मलमूत्रं → मल + मूत्रम्; गृहीत्वाथ → गृहीत्वा + अथ; प्रक्षालयेत्करम् → प्रक्षालयेत् + करम्.
FAQs
It teaches tīrtha-maryādā (sanctity norms): holy sites are to be kept physically and ritually pure, and disrespectful acts that pollute the area are prohibited.
Clean earth is a traditional purifying agent (a form of śauca) used for cleansing after bodily functions, emphasizing practical hygiene and ritual purity together.
Reverence for sacred spaces and disciplined personal conduct—cleanliness, restraint, and consideration for communal worship environments.