Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1
षडध्व-शुद्धिः
Purification of the Six Adhvans / Sixfold Cosmic Path
उपमन्युरुवाच । अतः परं समावेक्ष्य गुरुः शिष्यस्य योग्यताम् । षडध्वशुद्धिं कुर्वीत सर्वबंधविमुक्तये
upamanyuruvāca | ataḥ paraṃ samāvekṣya guruḥ śiṣyasya yogyatām | ṣaḍadhvaśuddhiṃ kurvīta sarvabaṃdhavimuktaye
Upamanyu sprach: „Daraufhin soll der Guru, nachdem er die Eignung des Schülers sorgfältig geprüft hat, die Reinigung der sechs Pfade (ṣaḍadhva-śuddhi) vollziehen, zur völligen Lösung von allen Fesseln.“
Upamanyu
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
FAQs
It establishes a core Shaiva Siddhanta principle: liberation (moksha) is achieved through the guru’s discerning guidance—after testing the disciple’s readiness—and through purificatory discipline aimed at removing pāśas (bondages) that bind the pashu (individual soul) to limitation.
By emphasizing guru-led purification before higher practice, it frames Linga/Saguna Shiva worship as a regulated path: devotion and ritual are most fruitful when the disciple is qualified and purified, so worship becomes a means for loosening bonds rather than mere external observance.
It points to guru-conferred purification practices associated with Shaiva initiation and inner discipline—often involving mantra-japa (commonly the Panchakshara), meditative cleansing of categories of experience, and preparatory observances that remove impediments to liberation.