Vamana Purana — Rules of Purity (Shauca), Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

ततस्तु शौचार्थमुपाहरेन्मृदं गुदे त्रयं पाणितले च सप्त तथोभयोः पञ्च चतुस्तथैकां लिङ्गे तथैकां मृदमाहरेत

Transliteration

tatastu śaucārthamupāharenmṛdaṃ gude trayaṃ pāṇitale ca sapta tathobhayoḥ pañca catustathaikāṃ liṅge tathaikāṃ mṛdamāhareta

Translation

次に、清浄のために土（粘土）を用いるべきである。肛門には三度、手のひらには七度、両手には五度、四度、またリンガ（生殖器）には一度、さらにもう一度土を取って用いると説かれる。

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘thereafter’

• तु: then
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; contrastive particle ‘but/then’

• शौच-अर्थम्: for purification
• शौच-अर्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n), द्वितीया (Acc, 2nd), एकवचन (sg); प्रयोजन-तत्पुरुषः: ‘शौचस्य अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्’ = ‘for cleansing’

• उपाहरेत्: should bring/procure
• उपाहरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg)

• मृदम्: clay/earth
• मृदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f), द्वितीया (Acc, 2nd), एकवचन (sg)

• गुदे: at the anus
• गुदे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), सप्तमी (Loc, 7th), एकवचन (sg)

• त्रयम्: three
• त्रयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n), द्वितीया (Acc, 2nd), एकवचन (sg); संख्या (numeral) ‘three (times/lumps)’

• पाणि-तले: on the palm
• पाणि-तले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n), सप्तमी (Loc, 7th), एकवचन (sg); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘पाणेः तलम्’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; here used as numeral ‘seven’ (count of applications)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘likewise’

• उभयोः: of both
• उभयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विलिङ्ग (m/n), षष्ठी (Gen, 6th), द्विवचन (du); ‘of both (hands)’

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; numeral ‘five’

• चतुः: four
• चतुः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; numeral ‘four’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘and likewise’

• एकाम्: one
• एकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f), द्वितीया (Acc, 2nd), एकवचन (sg); numeral ‘one’

• लिङ्गे: on the genital
• लिङ्गे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n), सप्तमी (Loc, 7th), एकवचन (sg)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘likewise’

• एकाम्: one
• एकाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f), द्वितीया (Acc, 2nd), एकवचन (sg)

• मृदम्: clay/earth
• मृदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f), द्वितीया (Acc, 2nd), एकवचन (sg)

• आहरेत्: should bring
• आहरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg)

Speakers

• Narrative frame not explicit in the provided excerpt (often Pulastya ↔ Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa); here: prescriptive dharma-voice (ācāra instruction).

Key Themes

• Vrata/Rituals
• Dharma-śāstra style purity rules
• Śauca (bodily cleanliness)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Outer cleanliness (bāhya-śauca) is treated as a support for inner discipline: the regulated use of earth and water trains mindfulness, modesty, and respect for purity in daily conduct.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa?

This passage is outside the five hallmark topics (sarga, pratisarga, vaṃśa, manvantara, vaṃśānucarita) and belongs to ancillary purāṇic material: dharma/ācāra and ritual observance.

What is the symbolic significance?

Earth (mṛdā) symbolizes the absorbing, purifying power of prakṛti; the counted applications reflect a codified order (niyama) that channels bodily functions into a dharmic routine.