Shloka 30

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

परेषां शौचशिष्टाच्च श्मशानाच्च मृदं त्यजेत् / एकां लिङ्गे मृदं दद्याद्वाम हस्ते मृदं द्विधा

Transliteration

pareṣāṃ śaucaśiṣṭācca śmaśānācca mṛdaṃ tyajet / ekāṃ liṅge mṛdaṃ dadyādvāma haste mṛdaṃ dvidhā

Translation

മറ്റൊരാളുടെ ശൗചത്തിൽ ശേഷിച്ച മണ്ണും ശ്മശാനമണ്ണും ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണം; ശുദ്ധിക്കായി ലിംഗത്തിൽ ഒരു അളവ് മണ്ണും ഇടത് കൈയിൽ രണ്ട് അളവ് മണ്ണും പുരട്ടണം।

Word by Word

• परेषाम्: of others
• परेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन ("of others")

• शौचशिष्टात्: from leftover/soiled remains of cleansing
• शौचशिष्टात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच + शिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासः (शौचस्य शिष्टम् = शौचशिष्टम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• श्मशानात्: from a cremation ground
• श्मशानात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

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

• त्यजेत्: should avoid/abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एकाम्: one (portion)
• एकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• लिङ्गे: on the genital organ
• लिङ्गे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

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

• दद्यात्: should apply/give
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वामे: on the left
• वामे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• हस्ते: hand
• हस्ते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

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

• द्विधा: twice / in two parts
• द्विधा: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: "in two ways/twice")

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue instruction to Garuḍa/Vinātā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Use uncontaminated earth for purification; avoid others’ leftover cleansing earth and earth from cremation grounds; apply specified measures for cleansing body parts.

Vedantic Theme: Outer discipline as training for inner order; purity rules as supports for sattva and social-sacred harmony.

Application: Use clean, fresh cleansing material; avoid cross-contamination; follow consistent hygiene steps (especially after toileting) with attention to left-hand convention.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: cremation ground; purification area

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.31 (rinsing counts continuing the same shaucha protocol)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuḍa
• Śmaśāna

FAQs

What is the importance of avoiding cremation-ground soil in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats cremation-ground earth as ritually unsuitable for personal purification; śauca requires clean, uncontaminated materials to maintain dharmic purity.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals and impurity (aśauca)?

By prohibiting śmaśāna-sourced earth for cleansing, it reflects the text’s broader concern with managing contact-related impurity around death contexts through proper śauca.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use clean, dedicated cleansing materials (and avoid shared/leftover items) for hygiene and ritual purity, especially when following traditional śauca observances.