Shloka 28

Sadācāra–Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Prātaḥkṛtya

Right Conduct, Social Typologies, and Morning Purification

Devanagari script

अंगुलीनां च रंध्रेण लंबं पश्येद्दिवाकरम् । आत्मप्रदक्षिणं कृत्वा शुद्धाचमनमाचरेत्

Transliteration

aṃgulīnāṃ ca raṃdhreṇa laṃbaṃ paśyeddivākaram | ātmapradakṣiṇaṃ kṛtvā śuddhācamanamācaret

Translation

Gazing at the Sun through the gap between the fingers, one should then perform pradakṣiṇā of oneself—an inner circumambulation—and thereafter observe pure ācamana, the ritual sipping of sanctified water.

Word by Word

• अङ्गुलीनाम्: of the fingers
• अङ्गुलीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी / Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• रन्ध्रेण: through the gap/opening
• रन्ध्रेण: करण (करणकारक / Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रन्ध्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• लम्बम्: hanging down/pendant
• लम्बम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• पश्येत्: should see
• पश्येत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिवाकरम्: the sun
• दिवाकरम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक / Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आत्म-प्रदक्षिणम्: self-circumambulation
• आत्म-प्रदक्षिणम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक / Object of kṛtvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): आत्मनः प्रदक्षिणम्

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• शुद्ध-आचमनम्: pure sipping (ācamana)
• शुद्ध-आचमनम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक / Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आचमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय: शुद्धं च तत् आचमनम्

• आचरेत्: should perform/practice
• आचरेत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Surya

FAQs

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

It teaches preparatory purity before Śiva-worship: steadying the senses (disciplined gaze), then turning inward through ātmā-pradakṣiṇā, and finally sealing the practice with śuddha ācamana—outer cleanliness supporting inner clarity for devotion to Pati (Śiva).

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

Liṅga-pūjā in the Vidyeśvara Saṃhitā emphasizes proper upacāras and purity. This verse describes a brief purification/centering sequence that makes the worshipper fit to approach Saguna Śiva in the Liṅga with reverence and controlled senses.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A focused viewing of the Sun through the finger-gap (sense-restraint and attention), followed by ātmā-pradakṣiṇā (inner consecration), and śuddha ācamana (ritual sipping for purity) as a preparatory step before worship.