Shloka 84

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

Devanagari script

दशाहं सूतिकाशौचं मातुरप्येवमव्ययाः अर्वाक् त्रिवर्षात्स्नानेन बान्धवानां पितुः सदा

Transliteration

daśāhaṃ sūtikāśaucaṃ māturapyevamavyayāḥ arvāk trivarṣātsnānena bāndhavānāṃ pituḥ sadā

Translation

The impurity (āśauca) arising from childbirth lasts ten days; for the mother it is the same. For a child below three years, purification is accomplished by bathing; and for the father’s relatives, it is always to be understood in this manner.

Word by Word

• daśāham: ten days

• sūtikā-āśaucam: impurity due to childbirth

• mātuḥ: of the mother

• api: also

• evam: thus/in the same way

• avyayāḥ: O imperishable ones (address to sages)

• arvāk: below/under

• tri-varṣāt: three years (of age)

• snānena: by bathing

• bāndhavānām: of the relatives/kinsmen

• pituḥ: of the father

• sadā: always/regularly

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It sets a dharmic boundary for resuming Shiva-puja after childbirth: observing sutika-āśauca (ten days) and using snāna as the purifier for very young children, so worship of Pati (Shiva) is done with proper niyama.

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

Indirectly, it implies Shiva as Pati—the ever-pure Lord—while the pashu (bound soul) follows disciplines of purity and restraint to remove pasha (ritual and mental taints) and return to ordered worship.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A purity observance (niyama) centered on āśauca and its cessation, with snāna (ritual bathing) as the key purificatory act—supporting the eligibility to perform Shiva-puja and related rites.