Shloka 22

Sadācāra–Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Prātaḥkṛtya

Right Conduct, Social Typologies, and Morning Purification

Devanagari script

आपोहिष्ठेति शिरसि प्रोक्षयेत्पापशांतये । यस्येति मंत्रं पादे तु संधिप्रोक्षणमुच्यते

Transliteration

āpohiṣṭheti śirasi prokṣayetpāpaśāṃtaye | yasyeti maṃtraṃ pāde tu saṃdhiprokṣaṇamucyate

Translation

Zur Besänftigung der Sünde soll man, während man das Mantra rezitiert, das mit „Āpo hi ṣṭhā…“ beginnt, reinigendes Wasser über den Kopf sprengen. Und das Mantra, das mit „Yasya…“ beginnt, ist an den Füßen anzuwenden — dies heißt das Besprengen der Gelenke (Glieder) im Ritus.

Word by Word

• आपोहिष्ठेति: “āpohiṣṭhā” (thus, the mantra)
• आपोहिष्ठेति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आपो हि ष्ठा इति (पदसमूह; इति अव्यय)
• Form: मन्त्र-उद्धरणरूपेण ‘इति’ निपातः; ‘आपो हि ष्ठा’ इत्यादि मन्त्रपाठ-सूचना

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• प्रोक्षयेत्: should sprinkle
• प्रोक्षयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पाप-शान्तये: for the pacification of sin
• पाप-शान्तये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप+शान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पापस्य शान्तिः)

• यस्येति: “yasya” (thus, the mantra)
• यस्येति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यस्य इति (यद्-सम्बन्ध + इति)
• Form: मन्त्र-उद्धरणसूचक ‘इति’; ‘यस्य’ = यद्-सर्वनाम षष्ठी एकवचन (within quoted mantra)

• मन्त्रम्: mantra
• मन्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पादे: on the foot
• पादे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (but/indeed)

• सन्धि-प्रोक्षणम्: sprinkling at the joints
• सन्धि-प्रोक्षणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्धि+प्रोक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सन्धेः प्रोक्षणम्)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Vedic prokṣaṇa mantras are integrated as preparatory śuddhi for Śaiva worship; purification is framed as loosening pāśa (mala/impurity) so the paśu becomes fit for Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: “Āpo hi ṣṭhā mayobhuvaḥ …” (Ṛgveda 10.9) and “Yasya …” (mantra beginning ‘yasya’) as cited in paddhati usage.

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that inner and outer purity support Shiva-upāsanā: sprinkling sanctified water with Vedic mantras is prescribed to calm the effects of pāpa and make the practitioner fit for devotion to Pati (Shiva).

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

Before approaching Saguna Shiva in the form of the Linga, the worshipper performs ritual śuddhi (purification). Prokṣaṇa prepares the body and senses so the subsequent linga-pūjā, abhiṣeka, and mantra-japa are done in a consecrated state.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform prokṣaṇa (sprinkling) with clean water: recite “Āpo hi ṣṭhā…” while sprinkling the head, and recite “Yasya…” while sprinkling the feet (as limb/joint purification) before continuing Shiva pūjā.