Shloka 150

Ācāra-Nirṇaya: Varṇa-Āśrama Dharma, Śauca, Snāna, Sandhyā, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and Gṛhastha-Dinacaryā

Devanagari script

शाकं च रात्रौ भूमिष्ठमत्यन्तं च विवर्जयेत् / नचैकरससेवायां प्रसज्जेत कदाचन

Transliteration

śākaṃ ca rātrau bhūmiṣṭhamatyantaṃ ca vivarjayet / nacaikarasasevāyāṃ prasajjeta kadācana

Translation

Nên tránh ăn rau lá vào ban đêm, và tuyệt đối tránh thức ăn đã rơi xuống đất. Lại nữa, chớ bao giờ đắm nhiễm việc chỉ ham một vị (thói quen thèm một hương vị).

Word by Word

• शाकम्: vegetables/greens
• शाकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• भूमिष्ठम्: lying on the ground
• भूमिष्ठम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूमि + स्थ (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (भूमौ स्थितम्); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; शाकम् इति विशेषणम्

• अत्यन्तम्: excessively
• अत्यन्तम्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/तीव्रतावाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'excessively')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• विवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• विवर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• एकरससेवायाम्: in the practice of one-taste diet
• एकरससेवायाम्: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक + रस + सेवा (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (एकस्य रसस्य सेवा / एकरसे सेवा); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• प्रसज्जेत: should become attached/engage
• प्रसज्जेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + सञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• कदाचन: ever/at any time
• कदाचन: Sambandha (Time/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb: 'ever/at any time')

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Medical Ayurveda

Dosha: Kapha

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Avoid leafy greens at night; avoid food fallen on the ground; avoid fixation on a single taste.

Vedantic Theme: Indriya-saṃyama: reducing rāga (attachment) through regulated habits; purity as support for sattva.

Application: Prefer easily digestible dinners; maintain hygiene; cultivate dietary variety and moderation to prevent compulsive craving.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Geographic Context

Type: household/dining setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: nearby āhāra-niyama verses on taste order and varṇa-associated food symbolism

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of dietary restraint in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames food-discipline as dharma: avoiding improper eating (night consumption of certain foods, fallen food) and restraining craving for taste, which supports purity and self-mastery.

How does this verse relate to karma and spiritual discipline?

By discouraging impurity and sense-addiction (rasa-attachment), it promotes sattvic conduct; such restraint is presented as supportive of righteous karma and steadiness in religious observance.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Avoid unhygienic or compromised food, keep night-eating moderate, and reduce habitual craving-driven eating—treat taste as secondary to health, cleanliness, and self-control.