Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय

Devanagari script

च्लेअनिन्ग् ओफ़् wअतेर् उद्धृतानुष्णफेनाभिः पूताभिर् वस्त्रचक्षुषा अद्भिः समाचरेत्सर्वं वर्जयेत्कलुषोदकम्

Transliteration

cleaning of water uddhṛtānuṣṇaphenābhiḥ pūtābhir vastracakṣuṣā adbhiḥ samācaretsarvaṃ varjayetkaluṣodakam

Translation

All rites should be performed with water that has been purified—slightly warmed, its foam removed, and then filtered through cloth—and one should avoid turbid or impure water.

Word by Word

• uddhṛta: removed/taken out

• anuṣṇa: slightly warm

• phena: foam

• -ābhiḥ: with/by

• pūtābhiḥ: purified

• vastra: cloth

• cakṣuṣā: as the ‘eye’/as a filter (i.e., by straining)

• adbhiḥ: with waters

• samācaret: should perform/should duly carry out

• sarvam: all (rites)

• varjayet: should avoid

• kaluṣa-udakam: muddy/turbid water

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja injunctions to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It sets a core rule of śauca (ritual purity): abhiṣeka and related acts should be done only with properly purified water, since the purity of offerings reflects the devotee’s disciplined approach to approaching Pati (Shiva).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By insisting on purified water, the verse implies that approaching Shiva as Pati—the pure, liberating Lord—requires the pashu (bound soul) to reduce pasha (impurity and negligence) through disciplined purity in action.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A practical puja-vidhi: warming, de-foaming, and cloth-filtering water before use—an outer discipline that supports the inner steadiness and cleanliness valued in Pashupata-oriented worship.