Vamana Purana — Rules of Purity (Shauca), Shloka 17

Rules of Purity (Śauca), Permissible Foods, and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

हुराचारो हि पुरुषो नेह नामुत्र नन्दते कार्यो यत्नः सदाचारे आचारो हन्त्यलक्षणम्

Transliteration

hurācāro hi puruṣo neha nāmutra nandate kāryo yatnaḥ sadācāre ācāro hantyalakṣaṇam

Translation

Quả thật, người có hạnh xấu không hoan hỷ cả ở đời này lẫn đời sau. Vì vậy phải nỗ lực hướng về chánh hạnh; hạnh (ācāra) diệt trừ điềm dữ và bất tường.

Word by Word

• दुराचारः: bad conduct / misconduct
• दुराचारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण (emphasis)

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• न: nor
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• अमुत्र: there (in the next world)
• अमुत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/परलोकवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: there/in the next world)

• नन्दते: rejoices / prospers
• नन्दते: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• कार्यः: should be done
• कार्यः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate necessity)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तव्य-अर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicative)

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदाचारे: in good conduct
• सदाचारे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद् + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• आचारः: conduct
• आचारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हन्ति: destroys
• हन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अलक्षणम्: impropriety / lack of good marks
• अलक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Purāṇic dialogue frame likely: Pulastya to Nārada (didactic dharma instruction)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Sadācāra vs Durācāra
• This-world and next-world consequences
• Removal of inauspiciousness

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ethics is presented as pragmatic and soteriological: immoral conduct yields suffering both socially (iha) and karmically (amutra). Conversely, steady sadācāra is framed as a purifier that removes ‘alakṣaṇa’—misfortune and moral taint.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It belongs to dharma-śāstra-like instruction embedded in Purāṇic narration (ancillary to pañcalakṣaṇa). It supports the Purāṇa’s role as a guide for right living, complementing genealogical and cosmological portions.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Alakṣaṇa’ can be read both literally (bad omens/ill-fortune) and ethically (loss of auspicious qualities). The verse symbolically asserts that character itself is the true ‘lakṣaṇa’ (mark) of auspicious life.