Shloka 91

Brahmin Right Conduct: Morning Remembrance, Bathing, Purification, and Tarpaṇa Method

Devanagari script

स्वशीर्षं पुष्पवृक्षं च यज्ञवृक्षमधार्मिकम् । त्रीणि तेजांसि नोच्छिष्ट उदीक्षेत कदाचन

Transliteration

svaśīrṣaṃ puṣpavṛkṣaṃ ca yajñavṛkṣamadhārmikam | trīṇi tejāṃsi nocchiṣṭa udīkṣeta kadācana

Translation

เมื่ออยู่ในสภาพอุจฉิษฏะ อย่ามองสิ่งเรืองรองสามประการเป็นอันขาด: ศีรษะของตน ต้นไม้ที่ออกดอก และ ‘ต้นยัญญะ’ อันอธรรม

Word by Word

• स्व-शीर्षम्: one’s own head
• स्व-शीर्षम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: स्वस्य शीर्षम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुष्प-वृक्षम्: a flowering tree
• पुष्प-वृक्षम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: पुष्पस्य वृक्षः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• यज्ञ-वृक्षम्: a sacrificial tree
• यज्ञ-वृक्षम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: यज्ञस्य वृक्षः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अधार्मिकम्: unrighteous/impious
• अधार्मिकम्: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘यज्ञवृक्षम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘तेजांसि’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तेजांसि: splendors/luminous entities
• तेजांसि: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन

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

• उच्छिष्टः: being in a state of uccheṣṭa (impure after eating)
• उच्छिष्टः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषणम् (one who is impure from food remnants)

• उदीक्षेत: should look at
• उदीक्षेत: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कदाचन: ever/at any time
• कदाचन: कालाधिकरण (Time adjunct/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

Speaker

Not explicitly identifiable from the single verse excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: यज्ञवृक्षम् + अधार्मिकम् → यज्ञवृक्षमधार्मिकम्; न + उच्छिष्टः → नोच्छिष्टः

FAQs

What is meant by ucchiṣṭa in this verse?

Ucchiṣṭa refers to a state of impurity associated with having just eaten or having food remnants (e.g., on the mouth/hands), during which certain acts of reverence and ritual restraint are advised.

Why are these called ‘three radiant things’ (trīṇi tejāṃsi)?

The verse treats them as objects associated with tejas—dignity, sanctity, or auspicious radiance—so one should not direct one’s gaze toward them while in an impure state.

What is the ethical lesson conveyed here?

It teaches mindfulness and respect through purity disciplines: maintaining bodily and ritual cleanliness and avoiding casual or irreverent behavior toward what is considered auspicious or sacred.