Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

पूजाविधिः

Pūjā-vidhiḥ) — The Supreme Procedure of Worship (Morning Observances

Devanagari script

उच्छिष्टेनैव वस्त्रेण न स्नायात्स कदाचन । शुद्धवस्त्रेण संस्नायात्तद्देवस्मरपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

ucchiṣṭenaiva vastreṇa na snāyātsa kadācana | śuddhavastreṇa saṃsnāyāttaddevasmarapūrvakam

Translation

Man soll niemals mit einem befleckten (unreinen) Tuch baden. Vielmehr soll man mit einem reinen Tuch baden und zuvor eben jener Gottheit—Herrn Śiva—gedenken, damit das Bad zu Verehrung und Läuterung werde.

Word by Word

• उच्छिष्टेन: with an impure (cloth)
• उच्छिष्टेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/विशेषणरूपेण, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘soiled/impure’

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय

• वस्त्रेण: with a cloth/garment
• वस्त्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• स्नायात्: should bathe
• स्नायात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कदाचन: ever/at any time
• कदाचन: Kālādhi karaṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (at any time/ever)

• शुद्धवस्त्रेण: with a clean cloth
• शुद्धवस्त्रेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्ध + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शुद्धं वस्त्रम्)

• संस्नायात्: should bathe properly
• संस्नायात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्: then/thereafter
• तत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (thereafter/that)

• देवस्मरपूर्वकम्: preceded by remembrance of the deity
• देवस्मरपूर्वकम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: देव + स्मर + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative): ‘with prior remembrance of the deity’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames snāna as pūrvāṅga of Śiva-upāsanā: external cleanliness (śuddha-vastra) joined to internal recollection (deva-smaraṇa) makes the act a vehicle for purification and receptivity to Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that external purity supports inner purity: bathing should be done with cleanliness and with conscious remembrance of Śiva, transforming a routine act into a devotional purification aligned with Shaiva discipline.

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

Linga-worship emphasizes śauca (cleanliness) and bhāva (devotional intent). Using a clean cloth and remembering the Deity prepares the body-mind for approaching Saguna Śiva in the form of the Linga with reverence and ritual fitness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform snāna with a clean cloth and begin with deva-smaraṇa—mentally invoking Śiva (often with the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) before continuing with daily pūjā practices such as bhasma or mantra-japa where appropriate.