Shloka 4

Ācamana-vidhi, Śauca, and Conduct Rules for Study, Eating, and Bodily Functions

Devanagari script

चण्डालम्लेच्छसंभाषे स्त्रीशूद्रोच्छिष्टभाषणे / उच्छिष्टं पुरुषं स्पृष्ट्वा भोज्यं चापि तथाविधम् / आचामेदश्रुपाते वा लोहितस्य तथैव च

Transliteration

caṇḍālamlecchasaṃbhāṣe strīśūdrocchiṣṭabhāṣaṇe / ucchiṣṭaṃ puruṣaṃ spṛṣṭvā bhojyaṃ cāpi tathāvidham / ācāmedaśrupāte vā lohitasya tathaiva ca

Translation

ଚଣ୍ଡାଳ କିମ୍ବା ମ୍ଲେଚ୍ଛ ସହ କଥାହେଲା ପରେ, ଏବଂ ଉଚ୍ଛିଷ୍ଟାବସ୍ଥାରେ ସ୍ତ୍ରୀ କିମ୍ବା ଶୂଦ୍ର ସହ କଥାହେଲା ପରେ; ଉଚ୍ଛିଷ୍ଟ ପୁରୁଷ କିମ୍ବା ସେହିପରି ଦୂଷିତ ଭୋଜ୍ୟକୁ ସ୍ପର୍ଶ କଲେ—ଆଚମନ କରିବା ଉଚିତ। ଅଶ୍ରୁପାତ ହେଲେ ଓ ରକ୍ତସ୍ପର୍ଶରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଏହି ଶୁଦ୍ଧି ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦିଷ୍ଟ।

Word by Word

• चण्डाल-म्लेच्छ-संभाषे: in talking with a caṇḍāla or mleccha
• चण्डाल-म्लेच्छ-संभाषे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डाल + म्लेच्छ + संभाष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Locative singular); तत्पुरुष (‘conversation with caṇḍāla and mleccha’)

• स्त्री-शूद्र-उच्छिष्ट-भाषणे: in impure speech (associated with women/śūdras)
• स्त्री-शूद्र-उच्छिष्ट-भाषणे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री + शूद्र + उच्छिष्ट + भाषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Locative singular); तत्पुरुष (‘speech that is women’s/śūdra’s/leftover/impure’)

• उच्छिष्टम्: impure/leftover
• उच्छिष्टम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular); विशेषण

• पुरुषम्: a person
• पुरुषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• स्पृष्ट्वा: having touched
• स्पृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), ‘having touched’

• भोज्यम्: food (to be eaten)
• भोज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (particle: ‘also’)

• तथा-विधम्: of such a kind
• तथा-विधम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तथा + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Accusative singular); कर्मधारय (‘of that kind’)

• आचामेत्: should sip (water)
• आचामेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अश्रु-पाते: when tears fall
• अश्रु-पाते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्रु + पात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Locative singular); तत्पुरुष (‘falling of tears’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (particle ‘or’)

• लोहितस्य: of blood
• लोहितस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘likewise’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle: ‘indeed/just’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Traditional Purāṇic narrator (instructional dharma-voice within the Kurma Purana’s purity regulations)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Caṇḍāla
• Mleccha
• Śūdra
• Ācamana

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

This verse does not directly teach Ātman metaphysics; it emphasizes śauca (ritual purity) as a discipline that steadies the practitioner’s conduct and mind, which later supports higher contemplative teachings in the Purāṇa.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice is ācamana—ritual sipping of water for purification. While not a meditative technique by itself, it functions as an ācāra-based support for inner steadiness (sattva-śuddhi) valued in Yoga and in the Kurma Purana’s broader dharma-to-yoga progression.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

This specific verse is procedural (śauca/ācāra) and does not mention Śiva–Viṣṇu unity explicitly; it reflects the shared dharma framework within which the Purāṇa later presents its Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.