Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 29

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

आचम्य प्रथमं तत्र धौतवस्त्रेण चाधरेत् । एकान्ते सुस्थले स्थित्वा संध्याविधिमथाचरेत्

Transliteration

ācamya prathamaṃ tatra dhautavastreṇa cādharet | ekānte susthale sthitvā saṃdhyāvidhimathācaret

Translation

Zuerst soll man dort die Ācamana vollziehen und dann den Mund mit einem sauberen, gewaschenen Tuch abwischen. An einem abgeschiedenen und reinen Ort stehend, soll man sodann die Sandhyā-Riten ordnungsgemäß ausführen. So, in äußerer und innerer Reinheit gefestigt, wird der Verehrer würdig für die Verehrung Śivas und für die Gnade, die zur Befreiung führt.

Word by Word

• आचम्य: having sipped (water)
• आचम्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ+चम् (धातु) → आचम्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/gerund)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: 'first')

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• धौत-वस्त्रेण: with a washed cloth
• धौत-वस्त्रेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धौत (कृदन्त, √धाव्/धौ) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (धौतं वस्त्रम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• अधरेत्: should put on/should wear
• अधरेत्: विधेय-क्रिया (Predicate verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+धृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• एकान्ते: in a secluded place
• एकान्ते: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण/Locative), एकवचन

• सु-स्थले: in a good place
• सु-स्थले: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सुस्थलम् = उत्तमं स्थलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थित्वा: having stood/sat (being positioned)
• स्थित्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित्वा (कृदन्त, क्त्वा/absolutive)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• संध्या-विधिम्: the sandhyā-rite
• संध्या-विधिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: संध्यायाः विधिः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence particle)

• आचरेत्: should perform
• आचरेत्: विधेय-क्रिया (Predicate verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Sandhyā and ācamana establish inner-outer śauca; in Śaiva Siddhānta this supports the paśu’s readiness for Śiva’s anugraha by reducing mala-pravṛtti and stabilizing attention.

Mantra Metadata

Type: gayatri

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sādhana begins with śauca (purity): ācamana, bodily cleanliness, and a sattvic environment steady the mind, making the devotee fit to approach Pati (Śiva) and loosen pāśa (bondage) through disciplined daily worship.

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

Sandhyā and preliminary purification are presented as preparatory limbs to Saguna Śiva worship—especially before Linga-pūjā—so that offerings, mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī), and meditation are performed with proper adhikāra (spiritual eligibility).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform ācamana, maintain physical cleanliness (wipe with a washed cloth), choose a secluded pure place, and complete the sandhyā-vidhi; this forms the daily foundation for Shiva-mantra japa and later observances like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa practices where applicable.