Shloka 19

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

सत्वचं दन्तकाष्ठं स्यात् तदग्रेण तु धावयेत् / क्षीरवृक्षसमुद्भूतं मालतीसंभवं शुभम् / अपामार्गं च बिल्वं च करवीरं विशेषतः

Transliteration

satvacaṃ dantakāṣṭhaṃ syāt tadagreṇa tu dhāvayet / kṣīravṛkṣasamudbhūtaṃ mālatīsaṃbhavaṃ śubham / apāmārgaṃ ca bilvaṃ ca karavīraṃ viśeṣataḥ

Translation

ದಂತಕಾಷ್ಠವು ತೊಗಟೆಯೊಡನೆ ಇರಬೇಕು; ಅದರ ತುದಿಯಿಂದ ಹಲ್ಲುಗಳನ್ನು ಶುದ್ಧಗೊಳಿಸಬೇಕು. ಕ್ಷೀರವೃಕ್ಷಗಳಿಂದ ಬಂದದ್ದು, ಮಾಲತೀದಿಂದ ಬಂದದ್ದು ಶುಭ; ವಿಶೇಷವಾಗಿ ಅಪಾಮಾರ್ಗ, ಬಿಲ್ವ ಮತ್ತು ಕರವೀರ.

Word by Word

• सत्वचम्: with good bark (suitable)
• सत्वचम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-त्वच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (सत्वचम् = सत्वचं/सुत्वचं ‘सु-त्वच्’ इत्यर्थे: having good bark/skin)

• दन्तकाष्ठम्: the tooth-stick
• दन्तकाष्ठम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त-काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/विषय), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (दन्तानां काष्ठम्)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘तस्य’ अर्थे

• अग्रेण: with the tip
• अग्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘अग्रेण’ = with the tip/front

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• धावयेत्: should clean/brush
• धावयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धाव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense possible in usage ‘to cleanse/brush’

• क्षीरवृक्ष-समुद्भूतम्: arisen from a milky tree
• क्षीरवृक्ष-समुद्भूतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीर-वृक्ष + समुद्भूत (प्रातिपदिक; सम्-उद्-भू + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/विकल्प्य), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (क्षीरवृक्षात् समुद्भूतम्)

• मालती-संभवम्: produced from mālatī (jasmine)
• मालती-संभवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मालती + संभव (प्रातिपदिक; सम्-भू)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मालत्याः संभवम्)

• शुभम्: auspicious, good
• शुभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपामार्गम्: apāmārga plant
• अपामार्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपामार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/विकल्प्य), एकवचन

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

• बिल्वम्: bilva wood
• बिल्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/विकल्प्य), एकवचन

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

• करवीरम्: karavīra (oleander)
• करवीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/विकल्प्य), एकवचन

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-Visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतस् (अव्यय; विशेष + तस्)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the dharma-instructions of the Kūrma Purāṇa in the sages’ assembly (Naimiṣāraṇya frame).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Apāmārga
• Bilva
• Karavīra
• Mālatī
• Kṣīravṛkṣa (milky trees)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches śauca (purity) as a dharmic foundation—by refining the body and habits, the mind becomes fit for inner inquiry into Ātman and for devotion to Īśvara.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights preparatory discipline (niyama-like śauca) through daily hygiene. In the Kurma Purana’s yogic-dharmic frame, such outer cleanliness supports inner steadiness needed for japa, dhyāna, and Pāśupata-oriented sādhana.

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

By placing practical dharma (purity and right conduct) at the base of spiritual life, it reflects the Purana’s synthesis: the same disciplined śauca serves devotion and yoga whether oriented to Viṣṇu (Kūrma) or Śiva (Pāśupata path).