Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे षष्ठ्यां कैलाससंहितायां क्षौरस्नानविधिवर्णनं नाम विंशोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe ṣaṣṭhyāṃ kailāsasaṃhitāyāṃ kṣaurasnānavidhivarṇanaṃ nāma viṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

Así, en el Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa, en el sexto libro, dentro de la Kailāsa-saṃhitā, concluye el capítulo vigésimo titulado «Descripción del procedimiento del rito de afeitado y del baño sagrado».

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-शब्दः; अव्यय; समाप्ति-सूचक (end marker)

• श्रीशिवमहापुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्रीशिवमहापुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक) + śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/नामसमास (श्री-शिव-सम्बन्धि महापुराणम्)

• षष्ठ्याम्: in the sixth
• षष्ठ्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṣṭhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal) विशेषण (qualifies संहितायाम्)

• कैलाससंहितायाम्: in the Kailāsa-saṃhitā
• कैलाससंहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kailāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कैलासस्य संहिता)

• क्षौरस्नानविधिवर्णनम्: description of the rite of shaving-bath
• क्षौरस्नानविधिवर्णनम्: Karta (कर्ता; heading/title)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaura (प्रातिपदिक) + snāna (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (क्षौर-स्नानस्य विधेः वर्णनम्)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/apposition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशक (appositive marker ‘named/called’)

• विंशः: twentieth
• विंशः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (20th) विशेषण (qualifies अध्यायः)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता; heading/title)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (traditional Purāṇic narrator concluding the chapter to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This is the chapter-colophon marking completion of a teaching on preparatory purification (shaving and sacred bath), indicating that disciplined outer observances are supportive aids to inner purity and devotion to Pati (Śiva) in a Shaiva Siddhanta frame.

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

By concluding a chapter on cleansing rites, it implies the Purāṇic principle that approaching Saguna Śiva—especially in Linga worship—is ideally preceded by śauca (purity) and orderly conduct, so the devotee’s body-mind becomes a fit vessel for pūjā and mantra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to snāna-vidhi (sacred bathing) and related preparatory observances; in practice, these are commonly paired with mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and other Shaiva markers like bhasma and rudrākṣa as part of a disciplined worship routine.