Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 27

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

षष्ट्याद्यामाश्च नवमी व्रतमस्तं रवेर्दिनम् । तथा श्राद्धदिनं तात निषिद्धं रदधावने

Transliteration

ṣaṣṭyādyāmāśca navamī vratamastaṃ raverdinam | tathā śrāddhadinaṃ tāta niṣiddhaṃ radadhāvane

Translation

O Lieber, am sechsten Tithi und an den weiteren bezeichneten Tithis, am Navamī (neunten), am Tag des Gelübdes (Vrata), am Tag des Sonnenuntergangs und ebenso am für Śrāddha bestimmten Tag—an diesen Tagen ist das Reinigen der Zähne durch Reiben oder Kauen eines Zweiges verboten.

Word by Word

• षष्टि-आद्याः: beginning with the sixth (tithi)
• षष्टि-आद्याः: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ट्याद्याः = षष्टिः आदिः यस्याः/येषाम्); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (अमाः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• अमाः: new-moon days (amāvāsyā tithis)
• अमाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• नवमी: the ninth (tithi)
• नवमी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (तिथि-नाम)

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: कर्म/विधेय (Object/Predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (वाक्ये कर्म/विधेय-नामरूपेण)

• अस्तम्: setting (at sunset)
• अस्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (दिनम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• रवेः: of the sun
• रवेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचन

• दिनम्: day
• दिनम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• श्राद्ध-दिनम्: a śrāddha day
• श्राद्ध-दिनम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: श्राद्धस्य दिनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तात: O dear (son)
• तात: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• निषिद्धम्: forbidden
• निषिद्धम्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि+सिध् (धातु) → निषिद्ध (कृदन्त, भूतकर्मणि/PPP)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (विधेय-विशेषणम्)

• रद-धावने: in tooth-cleaning
• रद-धावने: अधिकरण (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रद (प्रातिपदिक) + धावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: रदानां धावनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes ritual purity and restraint (niyama) as a prerequisite for Śiva-pūjā; avoidance of prohibited acts is treated as protection from subtle impurity (aśauca) that obstructs worship.

FAQs

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

It emphasizes ācāra (right conduct) as a support for devotion: on sacred or ritually sensitive days (vrata, śrāddha, key tithis), one maintains heightened restraint so the mind stays fit for worship and remembrance of Shiva.

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

Linga-worship in the Purana is paired with rules of purity and discipline. Avoiding certain mundane acts on vrata/śrāddha days protects the sanctity of puja and keeps the devotee’s attention steady on Saguna Shiva’s worshipful presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is restraint and purity on observance days—focus on Shiva-puja, japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and simple śauca appropriate to the vrata, while avoiding prohibited acts like radadhāvana on those specified days.