Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 30

मन्त्रसिद्धिः, प्रतिबन्धनिरासः, श्रद्धा-नियमाः

Mantra Efficacy, Removal of Obstacles, and the Role of Faith/Discipline

Devanagari script

स्नानकाले तु संप्राप्ते सर्वमङ्गलनिस्वनैः । पञ्चगव्यादिभिश्चैव स्नापयेत्परमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

snānakāle tu saṃprāpte sarvamaṅgalanisvanaiḥ | pañcagavyādibhiścaiva snāpayetparameśvaram

Translation

Wenn die Zeit des heiligen Bades gekommen ist, soll man Parameśvara (Herrn Śiva) inmitten klangvoller Segensrufe mit Pañcagavya und anderen reinigenden, heiligenden Substanzen baden.

Word by Word

• स्नानकाले: at the time of bathing
• स्नानकाले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (स्नानस्य कालः)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयबोधक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• संप्राप्ते: when (it) has arrived
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘having arrived/occurred’; अधिकरणसप्तमी (locative absolute sense with स्नानकाले)

• सर्वमङ्गलनिस्वनैः: with all auspicious sounds
• सर्वमङ्गलनिस्वनैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक) + निस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वेषां मङ्गलानां निस्वनाः = sounds of all auspicious (things))

• पञ्चगव्यादिभिः: with pañcagavya and the like
• पञ्चगव्यादिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चगव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पञ्चगव्यं आदिः येषाम् = with pañcagavya etc.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• स्नापयेत्: one should bathe (cause to bathe)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative) ‘to cause to bathe’

• परमेश्वरम्: the Supreme Lord (Parameśvara)
• परमेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (परमः ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General abhiṣeka-vidhi: bathing Parameśvara at the appointed time with sanctifiers like pañcagavya amid maṅgala-nisvana (auspicious recitations/sounds).

Significance: Abhiṣeka is a principal Śiva-upacāra; it is held to remove pāśa (bondage/impurity) and invite Śiva’s anugraha, especially when performed with purity and auspicious sound.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that approaching Śiva through abhiṣeka (ritual bathing) with auspicious recitation purifies the devotee’s intention and aligns the bound soul (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati), making worship both outwardly sacred and inwardly transformative.

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

The instruction to “bathe Parameśvara” is practically enacted as Śiva-liṅga abhiṣeka—honoring Saguna Śiva through a tangible form while remembering that the form points to the transcendent, formless reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva abhiṣeka at the proper time with pañcagavya (and other pure offerings) while maintaining auspicious chanting—commonly including the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a focused devotional practice.