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Shloka 20

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

त्रिः प्राश्नीयादपः पूर्वं ब्राह्मणः प्रयतस्ततः / संमृज्याङ्गुष्ठमूलेन मुखं वै समुपस्पृशेत्

triḥ prāśnīyādapaḥ pūrvaṃ brāhmaṇaḥ prayatastataḥ / saṃmṛjyāṅguṣṭhamūlena mukhaṃ vai samupaspṛśet

ก่อนอื่นพราหมณ์ผู้สำรวมพึงอาจมนะ (จิบน้ำ) สามครั้ง; แล้วเช็ดริมฝีปากและสัมผัสชำระปากด้วยโคนหัวแม่มือ

त्रिःthrice
त्रिः:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootत्रिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), संख्या-अव्यय; ‘thrice’
प्राश्नीयात्should sip/eat
प्राश्नीयात्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र + अश् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should eat/drink’
अपःwater
अपः:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअप् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), बहुवचन; ‘waters’
पूर्वम्first, beforehand
पूर्वम्:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), काल/क्रमवाचक; ‘first/before’
ब्राह्मणःa Brahmin
ब्राह्मणः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन
प्रयतःdisciplined, purified
प्रयतः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रयत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) ब्राह्मणस्य; ‘restrained/purified’
ततःthen
ततः:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण), क्रमवाचक; ‘then/thereafter’
संमृज्यhaving wiped/cleansed
संमृज्य:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + मृज् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘having wiped/cleansed’
अङ्गुष्ठमूलेनwith the base of the thumb
अङ्गुष्ठमूलेन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअङ्गुष्ठ + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अङ्गुष्ठस्य मूलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया (Instr. 3), एकवचन; ‘with the base of the thumb’
मुखम्mouth
मुखम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc. 2), एकवचन
वैindeed
वै:
Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis/assurance
समुपस्पृशेत्should touch
समुपस्पृशेत्:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + उप + स्पृश् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should touch’

Sūta (traditional narrator) describing dharma/ācāra injunctions to the sages

Primary Rasa: shanta

B
Brāhmaṇa
Ā
Ācamana (ritual sipping of water)
Ś
Śauca (purity discipline)

FAQs

Indirectly: by prescribing śauca (purificatory discipline) before sacred acts, it supports the Purāṇic view that a steady, purified mind becomes fit to recognize the ātman—ever pure—through practice and right conduct.

It highlights preparatory discipline (bahir-śauca) such as ācamana and bodily restraint (prayata). In Kurma Purana–style sādhanā, such observances function as groundwork for mantra, japa, and meditative absorption by reducing distraction and ritual impurity.

Not by explicit theology, but by shared dharma: the same śauca and ācāra norms are presented as universal prerequisites for worship and yoga, whether oriented to Śiva (Pāśupata) or Viṣṇu (Nārāyaṇa), reflecting the Purāṇa’s integrative stance.