Shloka 67
Teaching on Karma-yoga
Discipline of Action as Worship
नाद्यादुदङ्मुखो नित्यं विधिरेष सनातनः । प्रक्षाल्य पाणिपादौ च भुंजानो द्विरुपस्पृशेत्
nādyādudaṅmukho nityaṃ vidhireṣa sanātanaḥ | prakṣālya pāṇipādau ca bhuṃjāno dvirupaspṛśet
नित्यं न उदङ्मुखोऽद्याद्; एष विधिः सनातनः। प्रक्षाल्य पाणिपादौ च भुञ्जानो द्विरुपस्पृशेत्॥
Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (instructional/dharmic injunction within the narrative).
Concept: Daily acts like eating become yajña-like when governed by śauca (purity), niyama (discipline), and remembrance through ācamana.
Application: Before meals: wash hands/feet, choose a clean seat, avoid north-facing posture, and pause for two ācamana sips as a mindful reset (gratitude + restraint).
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A serene Vaishnava household meal becomes a quiet rite: a devotee sits on a clean mat, hands and feet freshly washed, pausing to sip water twice in ācamana before touching the food. In the background, a small Vishnu shrine with a lamp and a Tulasi pot suggests that even eating is offered inwardly as service.","primary_figures":["a Vaishnava householder","Vishnu (shrine icon)","Tulasi plant (in pot)"],"setting":"simple home shrine corner beside a clean dining space; brass lota for water; leaf-plate or metal thali; washed feet near a small water vessel","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["saffron ochre","lamp-gold","deep indigo","tulasi green","ivory white"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a Vaishnava devotee seated on a spotless white cloth, performing ācamana with a small brass lota before a meal; behind him a Vishnu icon with conch and discus, Tulasi in a decorated pot, ornate arch and halo rendered with gold leaf, rich vermilion and emerald accents, gem-studded ornaments on the deity, intricate floral borders, sacred calm and domestic sanctity.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate interior scene of a devotee in simple dhoti seated on a clean mat, washing hands/feet and sipping water twice; delicate brushwork, soft facial features, cool muted palette with indigo shadows, a small Vishnu shrine niche and Tulasi pot, lyrical naturalism and quiet devotion.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized domestic shrine with Vishnu icon and Tulasi, bold black outlines, warm red-yellow-green pigments; devotee shown in profile performing ācamana with a brass vessel, lamp flames and patterned floor, temple-wall aesthetic emphasizing purity and ritual order.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: devotional domestic offering motif—meal arranged like naivedya before a small Vishnu/Krishna shrine, Tulasi leaves prominent; intricate lotus and floral borders, deep blue ground with gold highlights, peacocks subtly in the border, emphasis on sanctifying food through ācamana and cleanliness."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"meditative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","gentle water pour","lamp crackle","morning birds","silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नाद्यादुदङ्मुखो = न + अद्यात् + उदङ्मुखः; विधिरेष = विधिः + एषः; द्विरुपस्पृशेत् = द्विः + उपस्पृशेत्
FAQs
It presents a traditional rule of conduct (ācāra) meant to regulate daily life with ritual propriety; the verse itself states it as a standing, “eternal” injunction without giving a specific rationale here.
In meal-context dharma instructions, upaspṛśet commonly refers to the purificatory act of touching water (ācamana) as a cleansing/ritual reset; here it is prescribed twice while eating.
It emphasizes mindfulness and cleanliness (śauca) in ordinary actions—washing hands and feet and maintaining disciplined conduct even during eating.