Shloka 29

Devanagari script

मार्गोपजीव्यच्छायासु न मूत्रं च पुरीषकम् / अन्तर्जलाद्देवगृहाद्वल्मीकान्मूषिकस्थलात्

Transliteration

mārgopajīvyacchāyāsu na mūtraṃ ca purīṣakam / antarjalāddevagṛhādvalmīkānmūṣikasthalāt

Translation

Janganlah membuang air kecil atau besar di laluan umum, di tempat orang mencari nafkah, atau di kawasan teduh yang digunakan orang lain. Juga hendaklah menjauh dari takungan air, rumah dewa/kuil (devagṛha), busut anai-anai, dan tempat yang didiami tikus.

Word by Word

मार्गोपजीव्यच्छायासुin the shades of livelihood-roads (public thoroughfares)

नnot

मूत्रम्urine

चand

पुरीषकम्feces

अन्तर्जलात्from within water / in water (i.e., not in water)

देवगृहात्from a temple

वल्मीकात्from an anthill

मूषिकस्थलात्from a rat-hole/place of mice

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Shaucha and social responsibility: avoid polluting public, economic, and sacred/shared spaces; maintain distance from sensitive sites.

Vedantic Theme: Ethical purity (bahya-shaucha) as support for inner purity; non-harm to community and sacred order.

Application: Use designated sanitation areas; keep respectful distance from temples and water sources; practice hygienic waste disposal to protect public health and sanctity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: public pathways, livelihood spaces, shared shade; near water-reservoirs and temples; near anthills and rodent habitats

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.213 (shaucha rules; earth usage; rinsing counts)

Characters & Entities

Devas

FAQs

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

This verse treats bodily waste as a cause of impurity and potential sin when done in shared, sacred, or ecologically sensitive places; śauca protects both dharma (right conduct) and communal sanctity.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s teachings on sin and consequences after death?

The Preta Kanda repeatedly links everyday misconduct to pāpa that follows the soul after death; this verse highlights that even ordinary acts become blameworthy when they defile temples, water, or public spaces.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain cleanliness by avoiding open defecation/urination, especially near water sources and places of worship, and respect shared public spaces—basic dharmic hygiene aligned with ritual purity.