मनसः स्वच्छताClass 9 Sanskrit Anand Chapter 8 Notes – Maharashtra Board

Summary: मनसः स्वच्छता

Shyam tells his friends that since childhood he bathed twice a day. A bath before bed makes the body clean, fresh and light; the prayer before sleep is a 'bath of the mind'. When body and mind are both clean, sleep is good.

One evening, after play, Shyam bathes, shouts to his mother to dry him quickly, and she wipes him with her own sari as usual. She then asks him to bring flowers for the evening worship.

Shyam complains that his soles are wet and will get muddy, so she must dry them too. When she asks what cloth she should use, he tells her to spread the end of her sari on the stone. Calling him stubborn, she does so; he dries his feet on it and goes off.

Her sari is now wet, and she cannot change it at that time — yet she bears it so that her son's feet stay clean and his wish is fulfilled. A mother does, bears and gives up so much for her child.

When Shyam returns with the flowers, she says: just as you take care that your feet don't get dirty, take care that your mind doesn't get dirty — pray to God for a pure mind. Shyam asks his friends: we use soap powder for clothes and soap for the body, but do we try to clean our minds?

Key points to remember

• Source: 'श्यामची आई' by Pandurang Sadashiv Sane (साने गुरुजी), Sanskrit version by Dr. Manjusha Kulkarni
• Twice-daily bath: body becomes स्वच्छम्, सतेजः, लघुभारम् इव
• Prayer before sleep = मनसः स्नानम्
• Clean body + clean mind = उत्तमा निद्रा
• Shyam's हठ: spread your sari on the stone
• Mother's sacrifice: her sari got wet for her son's wish
• Mother's lesson: keep the mind as clean as the feet
• प्रार्थयस्व देवं शुद्धबुद्ध्यर्थम् — pray for a pure mind
• उपपदविभक्ति: पूर्वम् with पञ्चमी (निद्रायाः पूर्वम्)
• अमरकोष box: synonyms of कुक्कुरः, कृपणः, पुत्रः, मेघः, नभः, जगत्, शुभम् …

मनसः स्वच्छता – Notes

1. Two baths — for body and mind

• Shyam's habit: स्नानं द्विवारम् — twice a day. A bath at night before sleeping makes the body feel clean, bright (सतेजः) and as if lighter (लघुभारम् इव).
• Before sleeping, the family prays; Shyam calls this the mind's bath (मनसः स्नानम्).
• Conclusion: if body and mind are both clean (स्वच्छे — dual), sleep is excellent.
• An evening bath needs little water — that is why the water 'finished' quickly and Shyam called for his mother.

2. The wet feet and the sari

• Shyam: 'अम्ब, शुष्कय मे अङ्गम्' — Mother, dry my body. She wipes him with her sari (स्वशाटिकया) and asks for flowers for the पूजा.
• His objection: पादतलौ आर्द्रौ — my soles are wet; they will get muddy (मृत्तिकया मलिनौ).
• Her question: with which cloth shall I wipe them? His answer: spread the end of your sari (शाटिकाञ्चलम्) on the stone.
• She calls him हठस्वभावः (stubborn) but spreads it anyway; he dries his feet on it and leaves. Her sari is wet and she cannot even change it then.

3. The mother's lesson and Shyam's question

• The mother had one aim: her son's feet should not get dirty and his wish should be fulfilled — so she let her own sari become wet.
• Returning with a lamp, she says: try to keep your mind from getting dirty just as you try to keep your feet clean; pray for a pure mind.
• Shyam, now grown up, says to his friends: how sweet those words were! We use washing powder for clothes and sandal soap for the body — but do we make any effort for the mind's cleanliness?
• Message: outer cleanliness (स्वच्छता) is good, but inner purity of thought matters more.

4. Language work from the lesson

• Sandhi: लघुभारमिव = लघुभारम् + इव; इत्यपि = इति + अपि; इतोऽपि = इतः + अपि; तथैव = तथा + एव; कदापि = कदा + अपि.
• Adjective–noun: शरीरम् – सतेजः (सतेजस्, neuter); मनः – मलिनम्; पादतलौ – आर्द्रौ; अभ्यासः – उत्तमः.
• Synonym pairs: शरीरम् – देहः; मृत्तिका – मृद्; चरणौ – पादौ; मित्रम् – सुहृद्; मनः – चित्तम्.
• Opposites: पवित्रम् × अपवित्रम्; शुष्कम् × आर्द्रम्; नीचैः × उच्चैः; स्वच्छम् × मलिनम्; अधिकम् × न्यूनम्; सत्वरम् × शनैः.

5. अमरकोषः box (page 50)

• कुक्कुरः (dog): कौलेयकः, सारमेयः, मृगदंशकः. कृपणः (miser): कदर्यः, क्षुद्रः, किंपचानः, मितंपचः.
• शोभनम्: सुन्दरम्, रुचिरम्, चारु, सुषमम्, साधु. मलिनम्: मलीमसम्, कच्चरम्, मलदूषितम्. प्रभूतम् (plenty): प्रचुरम्, प्राज्यम्, अदभ्रम्, बहुलम्, बहु.
• पूर्णम्: समग्रम्, सकलम्, अखण्डम्, अनूनकम्. पुत्रः: आत्मजः, तनयः, सूनुः, सुतः. शङ्करः: शम्भुः, ईशः, पशुपतिः, शिवः, शूली, महेश्वरः.
• मेघः: अभ्रम्, वारिवाहः, वारिदः, अम्बुभृत्. नभः: अन्तरिक्षम्, गगनम्, खम्. वर्षम्: संवत्सरः, वत्सरः, अब्दः, हायनः. शुभम्: शिवम्, भद्रम्, कल्याणम्, मङ्गलम्.

Who did what in the story

Key terms

मनसः स्वच्छता – Flashcards

Read the question, answer it in your head, then tap the card to check. 20 cards.

मनसः स्वच्छता – MCQ Quiz

15 questions. Tap an option — you will see at once if it is right and why.

How to study मनसः स्वच्छता

⏱ About 30 minutes

1. Read (10 min)
   Read the story aloud; tell it in five English sentences from the bath to the mother's lesson.
2. Words (10 min)
   Learn the sandhi splits, synonym and opposite pairs, and five lines of the अमरकोष box.
3. Practice (10 min)
   Do the 'Try it yourself' answers, take the quiz, revise flashcards and play 🎮 Play.