Vamana Purana — Rules of Purity (Shauca), Shloka 17

Rules of Purity (Śauca), Permissible Foods, and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

हुराचारो हि पुरुषो नेह नामुत्र नन्दते कार्यो यत्नः सदाचारे आचारो हन्त्यलक्षणम्

Transliteration

hurācāro hi puruṣo neha nāmutra nandate kāryo yatnaḥ sadācāre ācāro hantyalakṣaṇam

Translation

De fato, o homem de má conduta não se alegra nem aqui nem no além. Portanto, deve-se empenhar na boa conduta; a conduta reta destrói a inauspiciosidade e os maus sinais.

Word by Word

• दुराचारः: bad conduct / misconduct
• दुराचारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण (emphasis)

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• न: nor
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• अमुत्र: there (in the next world)
• अमुत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/परलोकवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: there/in the next world)

• नन्दते: rejoices / prospers
• नन्दते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• कार्यः: should be done
• कार्यः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate necessity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तव्य-अर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicative)

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदाचारे: in good conduct
• सदाचारे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद् + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• आचारः: conduct
• आचारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हन्ति: destroys
• हन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अलक्षणम्: impropriety / lack of good marks
• अलक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Purāṇic dialogue frame likely: Pulastya to Nārada (didactic dharma instruction)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Sadācāra vs Durācāra
• This-world and next-world consequences
• Removal of inauspiciousness

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ethics is presented as pragmatic and soteriological: immoral conduct yields suffering both socially (iha) and karmically (amutra). Conversely, steady sadācāra is framed as a purifier that removes ‘alakṣaṇa’—misfortune and moral taint.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It belongs to dharma-śāstra-like instruction embedded in Purāṇic narration (ancillary to pañcalakṣaṇa). It supports the Purāṇa’s role as a guide for right living, complementing genealogical and cosmological portions.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Alakṣaṇa’ can be read both literally (bad omens/ill-fortune) and ethically (loss of auspicious qualities). The verse symbolically asserts that character itself is the true ‘lakṣaṇa’ (mark) of auspicious life.