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Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

मृदैकया शिरः क्षाल्यं द्वाभ्यां नाभेस्तथोपरि / अधश्च तिसृभिः कायं पादौ षड्भिस्तथैव च

Transliteration

mṛdaikayā śiraḥ kṣālyaṃ dvābhyāṃ nābhestathopari / adhaśca tisṛbhiḥ kāyaṃ pādau ṣaḍbhistathaiva ca

Translation

ಒಮ್ಮೆ ಮಣ್ಣಿನಿಂದ ತಲೆಯನ್ನು ತೊಳೆಯಬೇಕು; ಎರಡು ಬಾರಿ ನಾಭಿಯ ಮೇಲ್ಭಾಗವನ್ನು; ಮೂರು ಬಾರಿ ನಾಭಿಯ ಕೆಳಭಾಗದ ದೇಹವನ್ನು; ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಆರು ಬಾರಿ ಪಾದಗಳನ್ನು ತೊಳೆಯಬೇಕು।

Word by Word
mṛdāwith clay
mṛdā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootmṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular
ekayāwith one (portion)
ekayā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; numeral adjective agreeing with mṛdā
śiraḥhead
śiraḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootśiras (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular
kṣālyamshould be washed
kṣālyam:
Vidhi/Prāpyakarma (विधि/प्राप्यकर्म)
TypeVerb
Root√kṣāl (धातु)
FormGerundive (तव्यत्), Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; impersonal obligation: ‘to be washed’
dvābhyāmwith two (portions)
dvābhyām:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
FormInstrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन); numeral adjective (f./n./m. form)
nābheḥfrom/than the navel (navel)
nābheḥ:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootnābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (also possible Genitive 6th sg by form); here with upari: ‘above the navel’
tathāthus/likewise
tathā:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), adverb (रीति-वाचक)
upariabove
upari:
Deśa (देश)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootupari (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), adverb/postposition (उपसर्गसदृश)
adhaḥbelow
adhaḥ:
Deśa (देश)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootadhaḥ (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), adverb (देशवाचक)
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)
tisṛbhiḥwith three (portions)
tisṛbhiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Roottri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
FormInstrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; feminine numeral form used instrumentally ‘with three (portions)’
kāyambody
kāyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkāya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular
pādau(both) feet
pādau:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpāda (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Dual (द्विवचन)
ṣaḍbhiḥwith six (portions)
ṣaḍbhiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootṣaṣ (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
FormInstrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; numeral adjective ‘with six (portions)’
tathālikewise
tathā:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), adverb (रीति-वाचक)
evaindeed/just
eva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात) of emphasis
caand
ca:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
FormAvyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)
Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s dharma-instructions as taught in the tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities
M
Mṛdā (cleansing clay)
Ś
Śauca (purity)

FAQs

Indirectly: it teaches outer śauca (bodily purity) as a dharmic foundation that steadies the mind for inner śauca—clarity and self-restraint—through which realization of the Atman is approached.

This is a preparatory discipline (aṅga) supporting Yoga: ritual cleanliness and regulated conduct reduce rajas/tamas, making the practitioner fit for mantra-japa, worship, and contemplative practices emphasized in the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.

It does so by shared dharma: the same śauca standards underpin both Shaiva and Vaishnava worship, reflecting the Purana’s integrative stance that purity and discipline serve devotion to the one Supreme approached through Shiva or Vishnu.

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