Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Gṛhastha-nitya-karman: Śauca, Sandhyā-vidhi, Pañca-yajña, and Āśrama-krama

Devanagari script

एवमाचम्य विप्रेंद्र शुद्धिमाप्नोत्यनुत्तमाम् । दंतकाष्ठं ततः खादेत्सत्वचं शस्तवृक्षजम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

evamācamya vipreṃdra śuddhimāpnotyanuttamām | daṃtakāṣṭhaṃ tataḥ khādetsatvacaṃ śastavṛkṣajam || 23 ||

Translation

ഹേ വിപ്രേന്ദ്രാ! ഇങ്ങനെ ആചമനം ചെയ്താൽ അത്യുത്തമമായ ശുദ്ധി ലഭിക്കുന്നു. തുടർന്ന് ശാസ്ത്രസമ്മതമായ ശുഭവൃക്ഷത്തിൽ നിന്നുള്ള, തോൽ സഹിതമുള്ള ദന്തകാഷ്ഠം ചവയ്ക്കണം.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: प्रकार (Adverbial/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• आचम्य: having sipped (water)
• आचम्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चमू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), from √चम्/चमू with उपसर्ग आ-; ‘having sipped (water)’

• विप्र-इन्द्र: O best of Brahmins
• विप्र-इन्द्र: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः’

• शुद्धिम्: purity
• शुद्धिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अनुत्तमाम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् शुद्धिम् प्रति

• दन्त-काष्ठम्: tooth-stick
• दन्त-काष्ठम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘दन्तानां काष्ठम्’ (tooth-stick)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: काल/क्रम (Temporal/Sequential adverb/काल-क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• खादेत्: should chew/eat
• खादेत्: क्रिया (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खाद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• स-त्वचम्: with bark
• स-त्वचम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ ‘with’) + त्वच्/त्वचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: ‘त्वचा सह’ = ‘with bark’; विशेषणम् दन्तकाष्ठम् प्रति

• शस्त-वृक्ष-जम्: from an approved tree
• शस्त-वृक्ष-जम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘शस्तस्य वृक्षस्य जातम्’ (born from a recommended tree); विशेषणम् दन्तकाष्ठम् प्रति

Speaker

Narada (in instruction to a brāhmaṇa interlocutor; traditional dialogue context within Narada Purana teachings)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It frames bodily cleanliness as a sacred prerequisite for higher practice: ācamana grants ritual purity, and disciplined follow-up acts like dantakāṣṭha support a state fit for worship, japa, and study.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

While not directly describing bhakti emotions, it supports bhakti through preparation: purity and orderly conduct are presented as the practical foundation for approaching devotional acts such as pūjā, nāma-japa, and remembrance of the Lord.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights applied ritual discipline (kalpa-style procedural purity): the sequence of ācamana followed by prescribed hygienic practice (dantakāṣṭha) as part of regulated daily observance.