8. ‘Charucharya’of Kshemendra (A treatise on moral education)

       8.  ‘Charucharya’of Kshemendra

(A treatise on moral education)

                            Dr. Chilakamarthi Durgaprasada Rao

                                                                dr.cdprao@gmail.com 

8       . जपहोमार्चनं कुर्यात्सुधौतचरण: शुचि: |

                  पादशौचविहीनं हि प्रविवेश नलं कलि: || 

•         सुधौतचरण: = బాగుగా కాళ్ళు కడుగు కొని ; शुचि:= శుచిగా ; जपहोमार्चनं =జపం, హోమం , అర్చన మొ || పుణ్యకార్యములను ;  कुर्यात्= చేయవలయును ; पादशौचविहीनं=కాళ్ళు శుభ్రముగా కడుగుకొనని ; नलं =నలమహారాజును ; कलि:= కలిపురుషుడు; प्रविवेश हि= ప్రవేశించెను కదా! 

•         ప్రతి వ్యక్తీ కాళ్ళు శుభ్రముగా కడుగుకొని ఆ తరువాతనే జపం , హోమం, పూజ

 మొదలగు పుణ్యకార్యములను నిర్వర్తి౦చవలయును. కాళ్ళు శుభ్రముగా కడుగుకొనని  కారణము వలననే కలిపురుషుడు నలుని ఇంటిలో ప్రవేశించి అతనికి ఆపదలు చేకుర్చగలిగెను.

  One should perform japa, offerings, and worship after cleaning his or    her feet. Kali could enter in to the house of Nala as Nala’s  feet are left  unclean.

•         Nala, the king of Nishadha and Damayanti the princess of Vidarbha fell in love with each other. The swayamvara of Damayanti was announced and many kings as well as Gods attended the swayamvara with a desire to marry Damayanti. Indra, Agni, Yama and Varuna were among Gods. A day before Swayamvara, the Gods approached Nala who also attended to win the hand of Damayanti   and requested him to convince Damayanti to choose one of them. Nala, despite his deep love for Damayanti ,  approached her and tried his level best to convince Damayanti to select  one among gods . But Damayanti made it clear that she would not   choose any other person except Nala. Having no alternative Nala approached Indra and others and explained what had happened. The Gods in order to test the chastity of Damayanti played many tricks.  Finally, Damayanti could win the hand of Nala. Kali, one of the Gods and who also desired Damayanti arrived very late by the time of his presence every thing was over. So, he wanted to take revenge against Nala and was waiting for the opportunity. Once Nala started worshipping Gods without washing his feet. Taking this as an opportunity Kali entered in to his house and put both Nala and Dayamanti to many troubles.

•          The purport of this sloka is that one should maintain neatness and cleanliness always. Cleanliness is next to godliness. See the Nalopakhyana of the Mahabharata for further details.

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