Shloka 3

स्नानविधिः — गायत्र्यावाहन, सूर्यवन्दन, तर्पण, पञ्चमहायज्ञ, भस्मस्नान, मन्त्रस्नान

Devanagari script

सहस्रं वा तदर्धं वा शतमष्टोत्तरं तु वा गायत्रीं प्रणवेनैव त्रिविधेष्वेकमाचरेत्

Transliteration

sahasraṃ vā tadardhaṃ vā śatamaṣṭottaraṃ tu vā gāyatrīṃ praṇavenaiva trividheṣvekamācaret

Translation

Man soll die Gāyatrī zusammen mit dem Pranava (Oṃ) als japa wiederholen: tausendmal, oder die Hälfte davon, oder hundertachtmal — und eines dieser drei Maße wählen. Durch diese disziplinierte Wiederholung wird der paśu (die gebundene Seele) zur Reinheit geführt und für die Gnade des Pati (Śiva) tauglich.

Word by Word

• सहस्रं: a thousand

• वा: or

• तदर्धं: half of that

• शतम्: a hundred

• अष्टोत्तरम्: plus eight (i.e., 108)

• तु: indeed

• वा: or

• गायत्रीम्: the Gāyatrī mantra

• प्रणवेन: with the Pranava (Oṃ)

• एव: only/indeed

• त्रिविधेषु: among the three kinds (three counts)

• एकम्: one (option)

• आचरेत्: should practice/perform

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed observances to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It sets a practical rule for daily mantra-discipline: Gāyatrī japa prefixed with Oṃ in fixed counts (1000/500/108), establishing inner purity as the foundation for effective Liṅga-pūjā and Śiva’s anugraha.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati—the bestower of grace—while the practitioner is the paśu who becomes fit for that grace through purification (śuddhi) produced by pranava-linked japa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Regulated mantra-japa (aṅga of Pāśupata-oriented sādhana): repeating Gāyatrī with Oṃ in one of three sanctioned counts, emphasizing niyama, steadiness, and inner concentration.