Vamana Purana — Rules of Purity (Shauca), Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

दशाङ्गो राक्षसश्रेष्ठ धर्मो ऽसौ सार्ववर्णिकः ब्राह्मणस्यापि विहिता चातुराश्रम्यकल्पना

Transliteration

daśāṅgo rākṣasaśreṣṭha dharmo 'sau sārvavarṇikaḥ brāhmaṇasyāpi vihitā cāturāśramyakalpanā

Translation

此十支之法，噫，罗刹中之最胜者，乃普遍适用于一切种姓（varṇa）。四住期（四 āśrama）之制度亦被规定——即便对婆罗门亦然。

Word by Word

• दश-अङ्गः: tenfold/with ten parts
• दश-अङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता/subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (दश अङ्गानि यस्य/दशाङ्गः)

• राक्षस-श्रेष्ठ: O best of rākṣasas
• राक्षस-श्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राक्षसानां श्रेष्ठः)

• धर्मः: dharma/duty
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असौ: this/that (aforementioned)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate demonstrative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सार्व-वर्णिकः: applicable to all varṇas
• सार्व-वर्णिकः: Karta (कर्ता/predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्ववर्णानां/सर्ववर्णेषु साधारणः)

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of/for a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/for)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• विहिता: prescribed/ordained
• विहिता: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'कल्पना' इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• चातुराश्रम्य-कल्पना: the arrangement of the four āśramas
• चातुराश्रम्य-कल्पना: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुराश्रम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्पना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चातुराश्रम्यस्य कल्पना)

Speakers

• Ṛṣis to Sukeśi

Key Themes

• Universal Dharma
• Varṇa-Āśrama system
• Normative ethics in Purāṇas

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ethical fundamentals are presented as universally binding (not sectarian, not class-exclusive), while the āśrama framework is affirmed as a disciplined life-architecture meant to channel those virtues into practice.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

As with many Purāṇas, ancillary dharma material is interwoven into the narrative frame; it functions as instructional dharma-kathā rather than one of the five strict lakṣaṇas, but often accompanies manvantara/vamśa discussions as social order is part of cosmic order.

What is the symbolic significance?

Calling the virtues ‘ten-limbed’ suggests dharma is an integrated body: if any limb is missing (e.g., śauca without satya), the moral organism limps—highlighting the need for balanced cultivation across life-stages.