Shloka 24

Adhyaya 35 — Madālasa’s Instruction on Purity, Impurity, and Corrective Rites (Śauca and Aśauca)

Sanskrit

रथ्यावसर्पणस्नानक्षुत्पानम्लानकर्मसु ।

आचामेत यथान्यायं वासो विपरिधाय च ॥

Transliteration

rathyāvasarpaṇa-snāna-kṣut-pāna-mlāna-karmasu | ācāmeta yathā-nyāyaṃ vāso viparidhāya ca ||

Translation

मार्गे विचरित्वा स्नात्वा भुक्त्वा पीत्वा च श्रमकरकर्मानन्तरं विधिवदाचमनं कुर्यात्, वस्त्राणि च यथायोग्यं परिवर्तयेत् सम्यक्।

Word by Word

• रथ्या-अवसर्पण-स्नान-क्षुत्-पान-म्लान-कर्मसु: in (these) activities: moving in the street, bathing, eating/drinking, fatigue-related acts
• रथ्या-अवसर्पण-स्नान-क्षुत्-पान-म्लान-कर्मसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rathyā (प्रातिपदिक) + avasarpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; from ava-√sṛp (सृप्)) + snāna (प्रातिपदिक; from √snā (स्ना)) + kṣut (प्रातिपदिक) + pāna (प्रातिपदिक; from √pā (पा)) + mlāna (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; from √mlā (म्ला)) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (locative plural) ‘in acts such as street-walking/crawling, bathing, eating when hungry, drinking, and (after) fatigue’

• आचामेत: one should sip (water) / perform ācamana
• आचामेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√cam (चम्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यथा-न्यायम्: according to proper rule
• यथा-न्यायम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + nyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; अव्यय (adverbial) = ‘according to rule/properly’

• वासः: garment/clothing
• वासः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• विपरिधाय: having put on (it)
• विपरिधाय: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-pari-√dhā (धा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive) = ‘having put on/worn’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speakers

• Dharma-instructional narration within the Purāṇic discourse (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Daily ritual
• Ācamana
• Householder discipline

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Small, repeatable acts of order (ācamana, proper dress) are treated as dharma: purity is maintained through steady discipline rather than occasional extremes.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/dharma instruction; not a pancalakṣaṇa narrative element.

What is the esoteric significance?

Ācamana symbolizes re-centering speech and intention; changing garments suggests shedding impressions (saṃskāras) gathered through worldly contact.