Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

शिरः प्रावृत्य कण्ठं वा मुक्तकच्छसिखो ऽपि वा / अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचमाचान्तो ऽप्यशुचिर्भवेत्

Transliteration

śiraḥ prāvṛtya kaṇṭhaṃ vā muktakacchasikho 'pi vā / akṛtvā pādayoḥ śaucamācānto 'pyaśucirbhavet

Translation

ଯଦି କେହି ମୁଣ୍ଡ କିମ୍ବା କଣ୍ଠ ଢାକି ରଖେ, କିମ୍ବା କଚ୍ଛ ଢିଲା ଓ କେଶ ଖୋଲା ରହେ, ତେବେ ପ୍ରଥମେ ପାଦଶୌଚ ନ କରି—ଆଚମନ କଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ—ଅଶୁଚି ହୁଏ।

Word by Word

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• प्रावृत्य: having covered
• प्रावृत्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आ-वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया; ‘having covered’

• कण्ठम्: throat/neck
• कण्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (alternative object)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक ‘or’

• मुक्तकच्छसिखः: with loosened waist-cloth and topknot
• मुक्तकच्छसिखः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त + कच्छ + सिख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय-प्राय): ‘मुक्तः कच्छः’ ‘मुक्ता सिखा’—with waist-cloth and topknot loosened

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात ‘even/also’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक ‘or’

• अकृत्वा: without doing
• अकृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ + कृ (धातु)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (negative gerund), पूर्वक्रिया-निषेध; ‘without doing’

• पादयोः: of the two feet
• पादयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• शौचम्: cleansing/purification
• शौचम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object of ‘doing’)

• आचान्तः: one who has sipped (water)
• आचान्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘having sipped (water)’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात ‘even/also’

• अशुचिः: impure
• अशुचिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक विशेषण; कर्तृ-विशेषण

• भवेत्: would be/becomes
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘would be/should become’

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing on dharma and ritual purity

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kūrma
• Vishnu
• Śauca
• Ācamana

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames outer purity (śauca) as a prerequisite for correct sacred action; in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching, disciplined conduct supports the inward pursuit of the Self by reducing ritual and mental impurity.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Not a meditation technique directly, but a preparatory discipline: śauca and proper ācamana. Such bodily and behavioral regulation functions as groundwork for higher yoga (including Pāśupata-oriented restraint and worship) taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

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

The verse is a dharma/śauca injunction rather than a theological statement; however, its emphasis on purity and disciplined observance aligns with the Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis where shared dharmic foundations support both Vishnu-oriented and Shiva-oriented worship.