Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 23

पाशुपतव्रतविधिः | The Procedure of the Supreme Pāśupata Vow

Devanagari script

विभृज्यांगानि मूर्धादिचरणांतानि तैस्स्पृशेत् । ततस्तेन क्रमेणैव समुद्धृत्य च भस्मना

Transliteration

vibhṛjyāṃgāni mūrdhādicaraṇāṃtāni taisspṛśet | tatastena krameṇaiva samuddhṛtya ca bhasmanā

Translation

Having cleansed the limbs from the head down to the feet, one should touch them with that purifying substance. Then, in that same order, one should take up and apply the sacred ash (bhasma), proceeding step by step.

Word by Word

• विभृज्य: having cleansed/wiped
• विभृज्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√भृज् (धातु; भृज्—मार्जने/शोधने)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), उपसर्ग: वि-

• अङ्गानि: limbs
• अङ्गानि: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• मूर्ध-आदि-चरण-अन्तानि: from the head up to the feet
• मूर्ध-आदि-चरण-अन्तानि: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समास: ‘मूर्धादि’ (from head etc.) + ‘चरणान्त’ (up to the feet) → qualifying अङ्गानि

• तैः: with those
• तैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; refers to mantras/means previously mentioned

• स्पृशेत्: should touch
• स्पृशेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्पृश् (धातु; स्पृश्—स्पर्शने)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ततः: then
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रयोग (adverb)

• तेन: with that
• तेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• क्रमेण: in sequence
• क्रमेण: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (instrumental adverb): ‘in order/stepwise’

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• समुद्धृत्य: having taken up/collected
• समुद्धृत्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उद्√हृ (धातु; हृ—हरणे/उद्धरणे)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), उपसर्ग: सम्- + उद्-

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• भस्मना: with ash
• भस्मना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Śaiva ritual procedure as taught in the Vāyavīya-saṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer ritual order—purifying from head to feet and then applying bhasma—mirrors inner Śaiva purification: the body becomes a fit support for remembrance of Pati (Shiva) and loosening of pāśa (bondage).

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

Bhasma-dhāraṇa is a hallmark of Saguna Śiva-upāsanā: the devotee prepares the body as a temple before approaching the Liṅga, affirming devotion while contemplating Shiva as the indwelling Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A sequential purification of the body followed by taking up and applying bhasma (vibhūti), commonly connected with Tripuṇḍra practice and steady Śiva-smaraṇa (remembrance) during application.