Shloka 9

Sadācāra–Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Prātaḥkṛtya

Right Conduct, Social Typologies, and Morning Purification

Devanagari script

निशांत्यायामोषा ज्ञेया यामार्धं संधिरुच्यते । तत्काले तु समुत्थाय विण्मूत्रे विसृजेद्द्विजः

Transliteration

niśāṃtyāyāmoṣā jñeyā yāmārdhaṃ saṃdhirucyate | tatkāle tu samutthāya viṇmūtre visṛjeddvijaḥ

Translation

إنَّ آخرَ الليلِ يُعرَفُ بـ«أوشا» (uṣā) أي الفجر، ويُسمّى «ساندهي» (sandhi) وهو وقتُ الوصلِ ومدّتُه نصفُ ياما. وفي ذلك الوقت، إذا نهضَ ذوُ المولدَين (dvija) فليُفرِغِ الغائطَ والبولَ إتمامًا للتطهيرِ الطبيعي.

Word by Word

• niśā-antyāyām: at the end of the night
• niśā-antyāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niśā (प्रातिपदिक) + antya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: niśāyāḥ antyāyām = at the end of the night

• uṣā: dawn
• uṣā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• jñeyā: is to be known (as)
• jñeyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive/Obligatory passive participle (तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्यय, भाव्य/कर्तव्य), Feminine, Nominative, Singular; 'to be known/should be understood'

• yāma-ardham: half a yāma (a time-period)
• yāma-ardham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yāma (प्रातिपदिक) + ardha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: yāmasya ardham = half of a yāma

• saṃdhiḥ: junction (twilight period)
• saṃdhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃdhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat-kāle: at that time
• tat-kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th), Singular; तत्पुरुषः: tasmin kāle = at that time

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), adversative/emphatic

• samutthāya: having risen
• samutthāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ut-sthā (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), 'having risen/after getting up'

• viṭ-mūtre: in (matters of) feces and urine
• viṭ-mūtre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṭ (प्रातिपदिक) + mūtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Dual (द्विवचन); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः: feces and urine

• visṛjet: should void/should excrete
• visṛjet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Optative/benedictive mood (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• dvijaḥ: a twice-born (Brahmin)
• dvijaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating traditional Shaiva dharma and observances to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General: emphasizes śauca (purity) at the sandhi of night and day; such bodily purification is treated as prerequisite for temple entry, liṅga-sevā, and mantra-japa.

FAQs

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

It teaches śauca (purity) and disciplined timing: rising at dawn-sandhi and completing bodily purification is presented as the proper foundation for later Sandhyā, japa, and Shiva-pūjā—outer order supporting inner steadiness on the path to moksha.

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

Linga-worship emphasizes cleanliness and readiness of body-mind; by instructing purification at dawn-sandhi, the text aligns the devotee with an auspicious time for approaching Saguna Shiva in ritual, so the subsequent offerings, mantra-japa, and meditation are done without impurity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical dinācārya step: rise at dawn-sandhi (uṣā), attend to natural elimination and cleanliness first, and then proceed to Sandhyā, Shiva mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī), and worship with a purified body and focused mind.