Shloka 19

Kṣaura-Snāna-Vidhi — Rite of Tonsure/Shaving and Purificatory Bath (Śaiva Procedure)

Devanagari script

गृहीत्वान्यां मृदं शुद्धां तथासौ गुरुभक्तिमान् । शिर आरभ्य पादान्तं विलिप्यादित्यदृष्टया

Transliteration

gṛhītvānyāṃ mṛdaṃ śuddhāṃ tathāsau gurubhaktimān | śira ārabhya pādāntaṃ vilipyādityadṛṣṭayā

Translation

Then that devotee of the Guru, taking other pure clay, should smear it over the body from the head down to the feet, while facing the Sun.

Word by Word

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्यय; ‘having taken’

• अन्याम्: another
• अन्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies मृदम्)

• मृदम्: clay/earth
• मृदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुद्धाम्: pure
• शुद्धाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies मृदम्)

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/एवम् (thus, likewise)

• असौ: he
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गुरुभक्तिमान्: devoted to the guru
• गुरुभक्तिमान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक) + matup (मत्वर्थ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गुरोः भक्तिः) + मत्वर्थ (भक्तिमान् = possessing devotion)

• शिरः: the head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आरम्भ-बिन्दु (as starting point)

• आरभ्य: starting from
• आरभ्य: Apadana (अपादान; starting point)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: अव्यय (gerund-like indeclinable) ‘starting from’; उपपद-अव्यय

• पादान्तम्: to the end of the feet
• पादान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पादस्य अन्तः)

• विलिप्य: having smeared
• विलिप्य: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्यय; ‘having smeared/applied’

• आदित्यदृष्टया: with the sun-gaze / facing the sun
• आदित्यदृष्टया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āditya (प्रातिपदिक) + dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (आदित्यस्य दृष्टिः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Vāmadeva

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Aditya)

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined purification performed with guru-bhakti: bodily cleanliness and right orientation (toward Aditya) support steadiness of mind, making the aspirant fit for Shaiva worship and inner purification.

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

Such preparatory rites are part of approaching Saguna Shiva through proper conduct and purity; they ready the devotee to perform Linga-puja with reverence, cleanliness, and focused awareness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A morning purification practice: take pure clay and smear the body from head to feet while facing the Sun (east), as a preparatory observance before Shiva’s worship and mantra-japa.