Article by Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa S, B.A.M.S
Pancha = 5
Vidha = varieties
Shaucham = cleanliness or purity
Word – Shaucham has completely different meanings and needs to be contextually understood. It means cleanliness, purity, readability, honesty, transparency, chastity and lots of extra.
Panchavidha Shaucham
5 sorts of Shaucham i.e. purity have been talked about. them even from the fashionable day perspective, every certainly one 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 rapidly see what these 5 sorts of shaucham are!
मनः शौचं कर्म शौचं कुलशौचं तथैव च।
शरीरशौचं वाक् शौचं, शौचं पञ्चविधं स्मृतम्॥(महाभारतम्)
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Manah Shaucham – purity of thoughts
For having purity of thoughts, the sattvika high quality of the thoughts needs to 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, needs to be in a state of steadiness. 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 ideas of sadvrutta, sadachara and achara rasayana on each day foundation
– considering, taking choices and appearing in accordance to the purushartha chatushtayas i.e. 4 targets of 1’s life – dharma, artha, kama and moksha,
– protecting away from the unhealthy and dangerous feelings – like lust, greed, anger, concern, jealousy, hatred and so forth
– indulgence in Yoga, meditation, charity, non secular actions
– at all times considering good and constructive
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Karma Shaucham – purity of motion (honesty in conduct, motion and conduct)
Purity of motion is essential in a single’s life. All actions needs to be performed 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 needs to be targeted in the direction of attaining Purusharthas. The ideas 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 might give us satisfaction and peace. We might be mentally and emotionally joyful and wholesome.
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Kula Shaucham – purity or chastity of the household
A few of us are recognized and revered within the society primarily based on the identify and status 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 sturdy foundations contributed by all the great works our ancestors have performed. The Kula Shaucham is a abstract of a whole bunch of excellent 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 status it has and in addition move on the identical duty to the subsequent era. Additionally it is vital to maintain contributing the identical bundle of goodness in the direction of society. It can bestow us with not solely a social standing but additionally love and affection from everybody round. It will contribute in the direction of one’s psychological and emotional well being and one would really feel secure, liked and guarded.
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Sharira Shaucham – cleanliness / purity of physique
It’s the fundamental duty of every certainly one of us to maintain our physique clear and pure of its impurities. Sharira Shaucham contains each exterior and inside 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 – each day routine emphasizes the vital of cleaning, caring and pampering the physique on each day foundation which might hold us bodily lively and mentally wholesome aside from rejuvenating, refreshing and rebooting the body-mind and senses on each day foundation. Alternatively, the Panchakarma therapies will assist in cleaning the inside of the physique and expelling the morbid doshas, malas and toxins. These cleaning therapies will 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 illnesses if any.
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Vak Shaucham – purity of speech / truthfulness
Purity of speech is essential as a result of our speech tells the society how good or how unhealthy 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 little thing issues and these parameters assist individuals to guage our character. Talking nicely, sensibly, in a balanced and measured means, protecting our speech situational and contextual ensuring they don’t harm the sentiments of others is right for every certainly one of us. Purity of speech is just not simple and comes with fixed follow and utility. It can convey us respect and honor. It will contribute in the direction of psychological and emotional well being. It can earn us good relationships, good standing within the society and fewer haters.
To sum up
The above stated 5 sorts of Shaucham contribute immensely in the direction of bodily, psychological, non secular, sensual and social well being and wellbeing. They’d 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 is just not from Bhagavadgita however is taken from the Asvamedha Parva of the Southern Recension of the Mahabharata (Kumbakonam Version).
That is the closest reference I obtained about this quote – ‘Ashvamedhika Parva, Adhyaya (chapter) 14-116-9’