Shloka 13

लिङ्गार्चनपूर्वकं स्नानाचमनविधिः

Snana–Achamana as Preparation for Linga-Archana

Devanagari script

मृच्छकृत्तिलपुष्पं च स्नानार्थं भसितं तथा आदाय तीरे निःक्षिप्य स्नानतीर्थे कुशानि च

Transliteration

mṛcchakṛttilapuṣpaṃ ca snānārthaṃ bhasitaṃ tathā ādāya tīre niḥkṣipya snānatīrthe kuśāni ca

Translation

Man nehme Erde und Lehm, Sesam und Blumen sowie die heilige Asche (bhasma) zum Baden, trage alles ans Ufer und lege es dort nieder; und am Badeübergang, dem tīrtha, lege man auch Kuśa-Gras nieder. So bereitet der Bhakta die Mittel der Reinigung, bevor er sich Śiva nähert—Pati, dem Herrn, der die pāśa-Bande löst, die den paśu (die Seele) fesseln.

Word by Word

• mṛt: earth

• śakṛt: clay/mud

• tila: sesame seeds

• puṣpam: flowers

• ca: and

• snānārtham: for the purpose of bathing/purificatory bath

• bhasitam: sacred ash (vibhūti)

• tathā: likewise/also

• ādāya: having taken/carrying

• tīre: on the bank/shore

• niḥkṣipya: having placed/laid down

• snāna-tīrthe: at the bathing place/sacred ford

• kuśāni: kuśa grasses

• ca: and.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It prescribes the practical preliminaries—gathering and setting aside clay/earth, sesame, flowers, vibhuti, and kuśa—so the sādhaka enters Shiva-puja through orderly purification (śauca) and readiness at the tīrtha.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By emphasizing purification before worship, the verse implies Shiva as Pati—the supreme Lord approached through inner and outer cleansing—who grants release to the paśu from pasha, even when the approach begins with simple ritual acts.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Tīrtha-snāna with vibhūti (sacred ash) and the use of kuśa grass—foundational Shaiva purificatory observances that support Pashupata-oriented discipline and focused worship.