Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

अग्निकार्य-होमविधिः

Agnikārya and Homa Procedure

Devanagari script

प्रक्षाल्यक्षालनीयानि प्रोक्षण्या प्रोक्ष्य शोधयेत् । मणिजं काष्ठजं वाथ श्रोत्रियागारसम्भवम्

Transliteration

prakṣālyakṣālanīyāni prokṣaṇyā prokṣya śodhayet | maṇijaṃ kāṣṭhajaṃ vātha śrotriyāgārasambhavam

Translation

Was gewaschen werden kann, soll gewaschen werden; und was durch Besprengen gereinigt werden kann, soll mit geweihtem Wasser gereinigt werden, sei es aus Edelsteinen oder aus Holz.

Word by Word

• प्रक्षाल्य: having washed
• प्रक्षाल्य: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-क्षल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘प्रक्षाल्य’ = having washed well

• क्षालनीयानि: things that should be washed
• क्षालनीयानि: Karma (कर्म/Object; items to be treated)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षालनीय (प्रातिपदिक; from क्षल् धातु, अनीयर्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/passive necessity); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-योग्य (to be washed)

• प्रोक्षण्या: with the sprinkling ladle/vessel
• प्रोक्षण्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रोक्षणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; साधन (instrument)

• प्रोक्ष्य: having sprinkled
• प्रोक्ष्य: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘प्रोक्ष्य’ = having sprinkled

• शोधयेत्: should purify/cleanse
• शोधयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध्/शोध् (धातु; causative of शुध्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• मणिजम्: made of gem
• मणिजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (उत्पत्त्यर्थ/सम्भव); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (क्षालनीयानि) विशेषण

• काष्ठजम्: made of wood
• काष्ठजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (उत्पत्त्यर्थ); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• अथ: and/then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक (and/then)

• श्रोत्रिय-आगार-सम्भवम्: originating from a śrotriya’s house
• श्रोत्रिय-आगार-सम्भवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + आगार (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘श्रोत्रियस्य आगारात् सम्भवम्’ (originating from a learned Brahmin’s house)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches śauca (purity) as a foundation for Shiva-upāsanā: outer cleansing of worship materials mirrors the inner cleansing of the bound soul (paśu) so it may approach Pati (Shiva) without the stains of mala and impurity.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-pūjā—materials offered to the Linga must be ritually fit. The verse instructs that items, regardless of being precious (gem) or simple (wood) or sourced from a learned household, become suitable through proper purification, emphasizing correctness of rite over mere material value.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to purify puja articles by washing (prakṣālana) where appropriate and by sprinkling sanctified water (prokṣaṇa) where washing is unsuitable—while mentally maintaining purity through Shiva-smaraṇa and, where customary, recitation of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).