Shloka 18

Kārttika-vrata Discipline: Purity Rules, Morning Bath Saṅkalpa, Tilaka Injunctions, and Food Prohibitions

Devanagari script

राजमाषादिकं नित्यं वर्जयेत्कार्तिके व्रती । जंबीरमामिषं चूर्णमन्नं पर्य्युषितं द्विज

Transliteration

rājamāṣādikaṃ nityaṃ varjayetkārtike vratī | jaṃbīramāmiṣaṃ cūrṇamannaṃ paryyuṣitaṃ dvija

Translation

ഹേ ദ്വിജാ! കാർത്തിക വ്രതധാരി നിത്യവും രാജമാഷാദി, ജംബീരം (നാരങ്ങ), മാംസം, ചൂർണം (മാവ്) കൂടാതെ പര്യുഷിതം (രാത്രി വെച്ച) അന്നം എന്നിവ വर्जിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• राजमाषादिकम्: rājamāṣa etc. (a kind of bean and similar items)
• राजमाषादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजमाष (प्रातिपदिक) + आदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘राजमाष-आदि’ (and the like)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial accusative)

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid
• वर्जयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• कार्तिके: in Kārttika
• कार्तिके: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• व्रती: the vow-observer
• व्रती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जंबीरम्: lemon/citron
• जंबीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जंबीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आमिषम्: meat
• आमिषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चूर्णम्: powdered food/flour
• चूर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्नम्: food
• अन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पर्युषितम्: stale, kept overnight
• पर्युषितम्: Visheshana (Adjective of अन्नम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + √वस्/उष् (धातु; ‘to stay/lie’) (क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (P.P.P.) ‘kept overnight/stale’

• द्विज: O twice-born
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Not specified in the provided excerpt (context needed to identify the dialogue frame).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: वर्जयेत्कार्तिके → वर्जयेत् कार्तिके; जंबीरमामिषं → जंबीरम् आमिषम् (म् + आ → मा संधि); चूर्णमन्नं → चूर्णम् अन्नम् (म् + अ → म्-अनुस्वार/संधि-लेखन)।

FAQs

What dietary discipline is taught in this verse for Kārtika-vrata?

It instructs a Kārtika-vrata observer to avoid certain foods—rājamāṣa-type legumes, lemon/citron, meat, flour-based items, and stale/overnight food—as part of vow-based purity and restraint.

What does “paryyuṣita anna” mean in the context of vrata rules?

It refers to food kept overnight or otherwise stale; the verse advises avoiding such food during the observance to maintain ritual and bodily purity.

What is the ethical or spiritual lesson implied by these restrictions?

The underlying lesson is self-control (saṃyama) and mindful consumption: regulating diet supports steadiness in worship and the sanctity of the vow during the holy month of Kārtika.