Shloka 31

Gṛhapati’s Vow: Turning Grief into Mṛtyuñjaya–Mahākāla Sādhana (गृहपतेः प्रतिज्ञा—मृत्युंजय-महाकालजपः)

Devanagari script

संस्नाप्य वाससा पूतः पूतात्मा प्रत्यहं शिवम् । नीलोत्पलमयीम्मालां समर्पयति सोऽन्वहम्

Transliteration

saṃsnāpya vāsasā pūtaḥ pūtātmā pratyahaṃ śivam | nīlotpalamayīmmālāṃ samarpayati so'nvaham

Translation

Having bathed and been purified by clean garments—pure in body and inwardly pure—he worships Śiva each day, and day after day he offers Him a garland made of blue lotuses.

Word by Word

• संस्नाप्य: having bathed (himself)
• संस्नाप्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: स्ना (to bathe) उपसर्ग: सम्

• वाससा: with a garment/cloth
• वाससा: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन

• पूतः: purified
• पूतः: कर्तृविशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूत (कृदन्त; √पू)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त (past passive participle) from √पू (to purify)

• पूतात्मा: pure-souled
• पूतात्मा: कर्तृविशेषण (Karta-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूत (कृदन्त) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: पूत आत्मा यस्य/पूत आत्मा (one whose self is purified)

• प्रत्यहम्: every day
• प्रत्यहम्: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• नीलोत्पलमयीम्: made of blue lotuses
• नीलोत्पलमयीम्: कर्मविशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्पल (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; समास: नीलोत्पलमयी = नीलोत्पलैः मयी (made of blue lotuses)

• मालाम्: garland
• मालाम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म/Accusative), एकवचन

• समर्पयति: offers
• समर्पयति: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अर्प् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: अर्प् (to offer) उपसर्ग: सम्

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्वहम्: day after day / daily
• अन्वहम्: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव समास; कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Daily śuddhi (external and internal) with nitya-pūjā and nīlotpala-mālā cultivates śivabhakti and qualifies the paśu for Śiva’s anugraha (grace) by reducing mala (impurity) and strengthening one-pointed devotion.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-bhakti is sustained through both outer purity (bathing, clean clothing) and inner purity (pūtātmā), expressing steady devotion through daily offerings.

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

The verse supports Saguna upāsanā—approaching Śiva through tangible acts of pūjā and offerings (such as a flower garland), which is commonly performed before the Śiva-liṅga as a consecrated form of Śiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A daily routine of स्नान (bath), wearing clean clothes, cultivating inner purity, and offering flowers/garlands to Śiva as part of regular pūjā (optionally accompanied by mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī: “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).