Shloka 46

Devanagari script

केशश्मश्रुनखानां वै स्नात्वा नियतमानसः । सक्तुं प्राश्याथ सायाह्ने स्नात्वा सन्ध्यामुपास्य च

Transliteration

keśaśmaśrunakhānāṃ vai snātvā niyatamānasaḥ | saktuṃ prāśyātha sāyāhne snātvā sandhyāmupāsya ca

Translation

কেশ, দাড়ি আৰু নখ শুদ্ধ কৰি স্নান কৰি নিয়তচিত্ত হোৱা উচিত। তাৰ পিছত সক্তু (ভাজা যৱৰ আহাৰ) গ্ৰহণ কৰি, সন্ধিয়াত পুনৰ স্নান কৰি সন্ধ্যা-উপাসনা কৰিব লাগে।

Word by Word

• केश-श्मश्रु-नखानाम्: of (his) hair, beard, and nails
• केश-श्मश्रु-नखानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक) + श्मश्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (collective dvandva)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध/वाक्यालङ्कार (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकालनिर्देश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाले (having done previously)

• नियत-मानसः: with a disciplined mind
• नियत-मानसः: कर्ता (कर्मकर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• सक्तुम्: parched flour (sattu)
• सक्तुम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सक्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्राश्य: having eaten
• प्राश्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकालनिर्देश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) from प्र-आश्/प्राश् ‘to eat’, पूर्वकाले

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसंयोजक
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequencing particle)

• सायाह्ने: in the evening
• सायाह्ने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायाह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण (time-locative)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकालनिर्देश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाले

• सन्ध्याम्: the twilight (sandhyā rite)
• सन्ध्याम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• उपास्य: having worshipped/observed
• उपास्य: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकालनिर्देश)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) from उप-आस् ‘to worship/attend’, पूर्वकाले

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shaiva disciplines to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not Jyotirliṅga-specific; it continues vrata discipline through bodily grooming, regulated food (saktu), repeated bathing, and sandhyā-upāsanā—stabilizing the practitioner for Śiva worship.

Significance: Emphasizes sustained purity and daily rhythm (sandhyā) as the ‘maintenance’ (sthiti) of vrata-power; such steadiness is portrayed as conducive to Śiva’s prasāda.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shaiva worship is supported by both outer purity (cleanliness and bathing) and inner purity (niyata-manas, a restrained mind), aligning daily life with disciplined conduct that makes the mind fit for devotion and liberation-oriented practice.

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

By prescribing bathing and Sandhyā observance, the verse establishes the preparatory āchāra (right conduct) that traditionally precedes Saguna Shiva worship—such as Linga-pūjā, mantra-japa, and offerings—so that devotion is performed with ritual propriety and mental steadiness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A simple daily regimen: maintain bodily cleanliness, take a light sāttvika food like saktu, bathe again at evening, and perform Sandhyā worship—supporting steadiness for mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and Shaiva contemplation.