Prathamopadeśaḥ (Ṣaṭkarma) · Verse 8
अन्तर्धौतिश्चतुर्धा स्याद्वत्सरो हृदयं दन्तमूलं च प्रकीर्तितम् | दन्तमूलं शिरः प्रोक्तं कर्णधौतिस्तथैव च ||
antardhautiścaturdhā syādvatsaro hṛdayaṃ dantamūlaṃ ca prakīrtitam | dantamūlaṃ śiraḥ proktaṃ karṇadhautistathaiva ca ||
Antardhauti (internal dhauti) is subdivided into four main techniques:
- Vatsara dhauti: Swallowing air like a calf (vatsa = calf), then expelling it.
- Hṛdaya dhauti: Cleansing of the cardiac/esophageal area.
- Dantamūla dhauti: Cleansing of the gums and tooth roots.
- Śira dhauti: Cleansing of the head/cranial area.
To these is added karṇa dhauti (ear cleansing). The anatomical terminology is approximate because these texts describe somatic experiences rather than Western physiological structures.
The fourfold subdivision shows the level of detail Gheraṇḍa provides: it is not enough to say “cleanse internally”; he specifies which part, by what method, and in what sequence.