Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 21

साधक-दीक्षा तथा मन्त्रसाधन

Puraścaraṇa and the Discipline of the Mantra-Sādhaka

Devanagari script

मन्त्राष्टशतपूतेन जलेन शुचिना व्रती । स्नायान्नदीनदोत्थेन प्रोक्षयेद्वाथ शक्तितः

Transliteration

mantrāṣṭaśatapūtena jalena śucinā vratī | snāyānnadīnadotthena prokṣayedvātha śaktitaḥ

Translation

على المتنسّك الملتزم بالنذر أن يغتسل بماءٍ طاهرٍ قُدِّس بمئةٍ وثمانِ تلاواتٍ للمانترا؛ أو بعد الاغتسال، وبحسب طاقته، يرشّ على جسده ماءً مأخوذًا من نهرٍ أو منبعٍ مقدّس.

Word by Word

• mantra-aṣṭa-śata-pūtena: purified by eight hundred mantras
• mantra-aṣṭa-śata-pūtena: Viśeṣaṇa of Karaṇa (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + aṣṭa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + pūta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (jalena सह करणत्वे), तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (मन्त्रैः अष्टशतैः पूतः = purified by 800 mantras)

• jalena: with water
• jalena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• śucinā: pure/clean
• śucinā: Viśeṣaṇa of Karaṇa (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘jalena’ इति विशेषणम्

• vratī: the vow-observer
• vratī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vratin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• snāyāt: should bathe
• snāyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• nadī-nada-utthena: with (water) arising from river or stream
• nadī-nada-utthena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक) + nada (प्रातिपदिक) + uttha (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (नदी च नदः च) + तत्पुरुषः (उत्थ = arisen from)

• prokṣayet: should sprinkle
• prokṣayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prokṣ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• atha: then/and
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक अव्यय (sequence particle)

• śaktitaḥ: according to (one’s) capacity
• śaktitaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘according to ability’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Connects bodily purity (snāna/prokṣaṇa) with mantra-power: regular purification supports steadiness in vrata and pūjā, aligning the practitioner with temple-like śauca even outside a tīrtha.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that outer purification (snāna and prokṣaṇa) supports inner purity and steadiness in vrata, preparing the devotee to approach Pati (Shiva) with a disciplined, sattvic mind—an aid to devotion and liberation-oriented worship.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Linga-worship emphasizes śauca (purity) and mantra-siddha preparation; sanctified water and ritual bathing are part of the proper upacāra to Saguna Shiva as the accessible Lord who accepts disciplined offerings and purifies the bound soul (paśu).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mantra-purified water for bathing (108 recitations) and, if needed, post-bath asperging with river water—performed “according to capacity,” aligning ritual practice with sincere devotion rather than mere display.