Shaucha

Shaucha (Sanskrit: शौच, romanized: Śauca) literally means purity, cleanliness, and clearness.[1] It refers to
purity of mind, speech and body.[2] Shaucha is one of the niyamas of Yoga.[3] It is discussed in many
ancient Indian texts such as the Mahabharata and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. It is a virtue in Hinduism and
Jainism.[4] In Hinduism purity is a part of worship and an important quality for salvation. Purity is a mind
pure and free of evil thoughts and behaviors.[5]

Shaucha includes outer purity of body as well as inner purity of mind.[6] It is synonymous with shuddhi
(शुद्धि).[7] LePage states that shaucha in yoga is on many levels, and deepens as an understanding and
evolution of self increases.[8]

In yogic practice, shaucha is considered essential for health, happiness, and general well-being. External
purity is achieved through daily ablutions, while internal purity is cultivated through physical exercises,
including asana (postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques). Along with daily ablutions to cleanse
one's body, shaucha suggests clean surroundings, along with fresh and clean food to purify the body.[9]
Lack of shaucha might be the result, for example, of letting toxins build up in the body.[10]

Shaucha includes purity of speech and mind. Anger, hate, prejudice, greed, lust, pride, fear, and negative
thoughts are sources of impurity of mind.[10][11] Impurities of the intellect can be cleansed through the
process of self-examination, or knowledge of self (Adhyatma-Vidya).[12] The mind is purified through
mindfulness and meditation on one's intent, feelings, actions, and its causes.[13]

Teachers of the Vedanta path of yoga prepare to have holy thoughts and to perform holy actions. Students
and the young help teachers prepare for worship, building self-control and selflessness.[14] Sarada Devi
said "pure mind begets ecstatic love (prema-bhakti)".[15]

Literature
Shaucha is included as one of five niyamas in Yoga, that is activity that is recommended for spiritual
development of an individual. Verse II.32 of Yogasutra lists the five niyamas.[16] In verse II.40, Patanjali
describes outer purity, while verse II.41 discusses inner purity,[3] as follows:

सत्त्वशुद्धिसौमनस्यैकाग्र्येन्द्रियजयात्मदर्शन Through cleanliness and purity of body and mind

योग्यत्वानि च (shaucha, shudhi)
comes a purification of the essence (sattva),
a goodness and gladness of feeling,
a sense of focus with intentness, the mastery
and union of the senses,
and a fitness, preparation and capability for self-
realization.

—Patanjali Yogasutras[17][3]: II.41

Shaucha is one of the ten yamas (virtuous restraints) listed by Śāṇḍilya Upanishad,[18] as well as by
Svātmārāma.[19]

The Epic Mahabharata mentions the virtue of purity (shaucha) in numerous books. For example, in Book
14 Chapter 38, it lists shaucha as a quality found in the liberated, happy, and dharmic person,

निर्ममॊ निरहंकारॊ निराशीः सर्वतः (He is) free from possessiveness, free from egoism, free
समः । अकाम हत इत्य एष सतां from pessimism, looks on all with an equal eye, free from
धर्मः सनातनः ॥ craving. (In him) is seen confidence, endurance,
विश्रम्भॊ हरीस तितिक्षा च तयागः renunciation, purity, absence of laziness, absence of cruelty,
शौचम अतन्द्रिता । आनृशंस्यम absence of delusion, compassion for all creatures, absence
असंमॊहॊ दया भूतेष्व अपैशुनम ॥ of the disposition to slander others or to exult at gains; (he is)
हर्षस तुष्टिर विस्मयश च विनयः satisfied, humble, emancipated, indifferent, peaceful,
साधुवृत्तता । शान्ति कर्म विशुद्धिश unaffected by ups and downs, pursuer of Brahma, and
च शुभा बुद्धिर विमॊचनम ॥ exhibits purity in all acts aiming for tranquillity, understanding
उपेक्षा बरह्मचर्यं च परित्यागश च and the right.
सर्वशः । निर्ममत्वम अनाशीस्त्वम
अपरिक्रीत धर्मता ॥

—Ashvamedhika Parva,
The Mahabharata,
14.38.5–8[20]
Bhagavad Gita describes purity at three levels in Book 17, verses 14–16, namely body, speech and
thoughts.[21] Purity of body comes from cleanliness of body as well as from what one eats and drinks.
Purity of speech comes from being truthful and through use of words that are not injurious, hurtful, or
distressing to others or self. Purity of thoughts comes from reflection, peace of mind, silence, calmness,
gentleness, and purity of being.[21]

Purity of mind, speech, and body has been one of the important virtues in Indian philosophy.[22]

See also
Ahiṃsā – Ancient Indian principle of nonviolence
Akrodha – Important virtue in Indian philosophy and Hindu ethics
Ārjava – Hindu philosophical concept
Asteya – Non-stealing, a virtue in Indian religions
Brahmacharya – Motivated abstinence from worldly pleasures
Dāna (charity) – Concept of charity in Indian religions
Dayā (compassion) – Moved or motivated to help others
Dhṛti – Yama (ethical rule) in Hinduism
Dhyana in Hinduism – Term for contemplation and meditation
Kṣamā (forgiveness) – Renunciation or cessation of resentment, indignation, or anger
Mitahara – Concept in Indian philosophy
Sattva – Hindu philosophical concept
 Satya – Sanskrit word and a virtue in Indian religions

References
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16. Original Sanskrit: शौच संतोष तपः स्वाध्यायेश्वरप्रणिधानानि नियमाः Translation: saucha (purity),
santosha (contentment), tapah (meditation), svādhyāya (continuous learning), and
isvarapranidhana (contemplation of one's origins, God, Self) are the niyamas
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p. 14. ISBN 9781605066370. "अथ यम-नियमाः
अहिंसा सत्यमस्तेयं बरह्यछर्यम कश्हमा धृतिः
दयार्जवं मिताहारः शौछम छैव यमा दश"
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14038.htm).
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21. Flood, Gavin (2005). The Ascetic Self: Subjectivity, Memory and Tradition. Cambridge
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77174). International Journal of Ethics. 33 (1): 1–22. doi:10.1086/intejethi.33.1.2377174 (htt
ps://doi.org/10.1086%2Fintejethi.33.1.2377174). S2CID 144844920 (https://api.semanticsch
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