Panchavidha Shaucham: 5 Sorts of Purity

Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S

Pancha = 5

Vidha = typs

Shaucham = cleanliness or purity

Word – Shaucham has completely different meanings and must be contextually understood. It means cleanliness, purity, readability, honesty, transparency, chastity and plenty of extra.

Panchavidha shaucham

5 sorts of Shaucham i.e. purity have been talked about. them even from the trendy day perspective, every one in every of them makes a lot sense. My admiration to the traditional individuals who have written these beneficial quotes that are relevant in any century or period goes sky excessive. These 5 sorts of purity are very important for our bodily, psychological, emotional, sensual and social wellbeing.

Allow us to shortly see what these 5 sorts of shaucham are!

Manas cleanliness Deed cleanliness Kulshuchn and so forth f.
Bodily Speech cleanliness, cleanliness Fivefold remembered.(Mahabharata)

1. Manah Shaucham – Level of Thoughts

For having purity of thoughts, the sattvika high quality of the thoughts must be excessive whereas the opposite two qualities i.e. rajas and tamas, that are additionally thought-about as manasika doshas i.e. contaminants of the thoughts, must be in a state of stability. Manasika Shaucha would assist us be in concord with ourselves, set up psychological well being and peace and forestall or treatment psychological illnesses.

Under talked about would contribute in the direction of manasika shaucha –

– following the rules of sadvrutta, sadachara and achara rasayana on day by day foundation

– pondering, taking selections and performing in accordance to the purushartha chatushtayas i.e. 4 objectives of 1’s life – dharma, artha, kama and moksha,

– protecting away from the dangerous and dangerous feelings – like lust, greed, anger, concern, jealousy, hatred and so forth

– indulgence in Yoga, meditation, charity, non secular actions

– all the time pondering good and optimistic

2. Karma Shaucham – purity of motion (honesty in conduct, motion and conduct)

Purity of motion is essential in a single’s life. All actions must be accomplished with pure intentions and with out hurting the others within the proceedings. Purity of actions would pertain to all three tiers of motion i.e. bodily, verbal and psychological. Our Karmas additionally must be targeted in the direction of attaining Purusharthas. The rules and actions talked about within the context of sadvrutta and achara rasayana additionally assist in reaching karma shaucham. If our actions are pure and clear, it will give us satisfaction and peace. We shall be mentally and emotionally completely satisfied and wholesome.

3. Kula Shaucham – purity or chastity of the household

A few of us are recognized and revered within the society based mostly on the identify and fame our household carries. Some villages and cities are acknowledged on the premise of few households which have been and are well-known therein. It’s because the identify and fame of these households have robust foundations contributed by all the great works our ancestors have accomplished. The Kula Shaucham is a abstract of a whole bunch of fine deeds and it turns into the duty of every particular person of that household to hold the legacy forwards, to take care of the sanctity of the identify and fame it has and in addition cross on the identical duty to the following era. It is usually essential to maintain contributing the identical bundle of goodness in the direction of society. It is going to bestow us with not solely a social standing but additionally love and affection from everybody round. This may contribute in the direction of one’s psychological and emotional well being and one would really feel protected, liked and guarded.

4. Sharira Shaucham – cleanliness / purity of physique

It’s the fundamental duty of every one in every of us to maintain our physique clear and pure of its impurities. Sharira Shaucham contains each exterior and inner cleaning. The regimens like oil tub / therapeutic massage, powder therapeutic massage, brushing of enamel, taking tub and so forth talked about within the context of Dinacharya – day by day routine emphasizes the essential of cleaning, caring and pampering the physique on day by day foundation which might preserve us bodily lively and mentally wholesome aside from rejuvenating, refreshing and rebooting the body-mind and senses on day by day foundation. Then again, the Panchakarma therapies will assist in cleaning the inside of the physique and expelling the morbid doshas, malas and toxins. These cleaning therapies could be taken by wholesome individuals additionally, as part of body-mind balancing and for rejuvenation, in fact with the consent of the doctor. Additionally they expel the morbid doshas and treatment the physique of the ailments if any.

5. Vak Shaucham – purity of speech / truthfulness

Purity of speech is essential as a result of our speech tells the society how good or how dangerous we’re. Monitoring on what, when and the way a lot we converse, the events during which we must always converse and the place we must always not, every part issues and these parameters assist individuals to evaluate our character. Talking nicely, sensibly, in a balanced and measured approach, protecting our speech situational and contextual ensuring they don’t harm the emotions of others is right for every one in every of us. Purity of speech will not be simple and comes with fixed follow and software. It is going to convey us respect and honor. This may contribute in the direction of psychological and emotional well being. It is going to earn us good relationships, good standing within the society and fewer haters.

To sum up

The above mentioned 5 sorts of Shaucham contribute immensely in the direction of bodily, psychological, religious, sensual and social well being and wellbeing. They might additionally assist us to attain the purusharthas and open up the pathway for moksha – salvation.

Coming to the reference of this quote,

Whereas some have talked about it as a reference in Mahabharata, some opine that it’s from Bhagavadgita / Bhagavata. However there are blended opinions and I didn’t discover any clear opinion concerning the reference of the quote on Pancha Vidha Shaucham.

There may be one website the place I got here throughout the dialogue concerning the reference of this quote and the quotes previous and succeeding this. It says that this verse will not be from Bhagavadgita however is taken from the Asvamedha Parva of the Southern Recension of the Mahabharata (Kumbakonam Version).

That is the closest reference I get about this quote-‘Ashvamedhika Parva, Adhyaya (Chapter) 14-116-9’