Shloka 32

Adhyaya 8: Yogasthanas, Ashtanga Yoga, Pranayama-Siddhi, and Shiva-Dhyana leading to Samadhi

Devanagari script

बाह्यशौचेन युक्तः संस् तथा चाभ्यन्तरं चरेत् आग्नेयं वारुणं ब्राह्मं कर्तव्यं शिवपूजकैः

Transliteration

bāhyaśaucena yuktaḥ saṃs tathā cābhyantaraṃ caret āgneyaṃ vāruṇaṃ brāhmaṃ kartavyaṃ śivapūjakaiḥ

Translation

Wer mit äußerer Reinheit ausgestattet ist, soll auch die innere Reinheit pflegen. Darum haben die Verehrer Śivas die Reinigungen, die mit Feuer, Wasser und dem brahmanischen (vedischen) Prinzip verbunden sind, ordnungsgemäß zu vollziehen.

Word by Word

• bāhya-śaucena: with external cleanliness

• yuktaḥ: endowed/connected

• saṃs (saṃ): indeed/then

• tathā: likewise

• ca: and

• ābhyantaram: inner (purity)

• caret: should practice/undertake

• āgneyam: relating to Agni, fiery purification

• vāruṇam: relating to Varuṇa, watery purification

• brāhmam: Brahmic/Vedic (mantric) purification

• kartavyam: to be done/should be performed

• śiva-pūjakaiḥ: by the worshippers of Śiva

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja injunctions to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni
• Varuna
• Brahman (Vedic principle)

FAQs

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

It establishes that Linga-puja requires both external cleanliness and inner purification, and it prescribes three complementary modes of śuddhi—fiery (Agni), watery (Varuṇa), and Vedic/mantric (Brāhma)—as mandatory disciplines for Śiva’s worship.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati, approachable through purity of body and mind; inner purity particularly points to cleansing the pashu (individual soul) from pasha (impurities/bondage) so the worship becomes fit to receive Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Śauca as a core puja-dharma: bodily cleansing, water-based purification rites, fire-related sanctification (e.g., agni-samskāra/homa context), and brāhma-śuddhi through Vedic mantra—paired with inner discipline aligned with Pāśupata-oriented purification of the mind.