Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6
शिवाश्रम-नित्यनैमित्तिककर्मविधिः / Śaiva Āśrama-Duties: Daily and Occasional Rites
Morning Purity & Bath Procedure
स्नानद्रव्याणि तत्तीरे स्थापयित्वा बहिर्मलम् । व्यापोह्य मृदमालिप्य स्नात्वा गोमयमालिपेत्
snānadravyāṇi tattīre sthāpayitvā bahirmalam | vyāpohya mṛdamālipya snātvā gomayamālipet
Placing the bathing materials on the bank of that sacred water, one should first remove outward impurities; then, smearing the body with purifying earth, one should bathe, and after bathing anoint oneself with cow-dung as a cleanser.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Sadyojāta
Significance: Establishes ritual purity (bāhya-śauca) as a prerequisite for Śiva-pūjā and mantra-japa; reduces doṣa and prepares the paśu for grace-oriented practice.
FAQs
It teaches that approach to Shiva begins with śauca (purity): removing gross impurities and performing disciplined cleansing so the body-mind becomes a suitable support for devotion, mantra, and Shiva’s grace.
Before Linga-pūjā, the devotee prepares through ritual purity; such preparatory acts honor Saguna Shiva’s worship-forms while pointing to inner refinement that supports realization of Shiva as the supreme Pati.
A snāna-vidhi: arrange bathing items, cleanse the body, use purifying earth, bathe, then apply a sanctifying substance—serving as a precursor to bhasma/tripuṇḍra application and focused japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya).