Shloka 34

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

Devanagari script

स कुर्यादर्धशौचं तु स्वस्य शौचस्य सर्वदा / दिवा शौचस्य रात्र्यर्धं यद्वा पादो विधीयते

Transliteration

sa kuryādardhaśaucaṃ tu svasya śaucasya sarvadā / divā śaucasya rātryardhaṃ yadvā pādo vidhīyate

Translation

അവൻ തന്റെ ശൗചകാലനിയമത്തിൽ എപ്പോഴും അർദ്ധശൗചം തന്നെ ആചരിക്കണം. പകൽ അശൗചം സംഭവിച്ചാൽ രാത്രി അർദ്ധമായി കണക്കാക്കുന്നു; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ചിലിടങ്ങളിൽ പൂർണ്ണകാലത്തിന്റെ ഒരു പാദം (ചതുർത്ഥാംശം) മാത്രമെന്നും വിധിയുണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• सः: he/that person
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अर्धशौचम्: half (the) purification
• अर्धशौचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अर्धं शौचम् = half-purification)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• स्वस्य: of his own
• स्वस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; आत्मीयार्थे (of one’s own)

• शौचस्य: of purification
• शौचस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (by day/in daytime)

• शौचस्य: of purification
• शौचस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• रात्रि: of night
• रात्रि: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन (रात्र्य्-आदेशः sandhi-base)

• अर्धम्: half
• अर्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचकं (half)

• यद्वा: or else
• यद्वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or else/alternatively)

• पादः: a quarter
• पादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; अंशवाचकः (a quarter)

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे—'is prescribed/ordained'

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue instructing Garuda/Vinata-putra on dharma and ritual rules)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Śauca/āśauca observance can be proportionally reduced (half or quarter) depending on circumstance (day/night) and personal condition.

Vedantic Theme: Yukti (reasoned appropriateness) within dharma: rules are applied with contextual discernment.

Application: When a reduced śauca is prescribed for oneself, observe half the standard period; for daytime occurrence, count the night as half; where tradition allows, apply quarter-period (pāda) reduction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: household/āśrama observance of āśauca

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213.33 (proportional measures); Garuda Purana 1.213.35 (afflicted person acts per strength)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of śauca (ritual purification) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse emphasizes that śauca is not optional but a regulated dharma-practice, with specific fractional counts (half or quarter) depending on timing, ensuring purity rules are followed correctly.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals and impurity periods?

It gives a technical rule for calculating the duration of śauca connected to impurity events (commonly discussed alongside death-related observances), stating that night may be counted as half, and in some cases only a quarter is prescribed.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When observing traditional family rites, consult the applicable śauca calculation rules (day/night fractions) through a competent priest or dharma guide so the observance is accurate rather than assumed.