Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

शिवाश्रम-नित्यनैमित्तिककर्मविधिः / Śaiva Āśrama-Duties: Daily and Occasional Rites

Morning Purity & Bath Procedure

Devanagari script

अलाभे दंतकाष्ठानामष्टम्यादिदिनेषु च । अपां द्वादशगण्डूषैः कुर्यादास्यविशोधनम्

Transliteration

alābhe daṃtakāṣṭhānāmaṣṭamyādidineṣu ca | apāṃ dvādaśagaṇḍūṣaiḥ kuryādāsyaviśodhanam

Translation

Cuando no se disponga de ramitas para limpiar los dientes—y también en días de observancia como el octavo lunar (aṣṭamī)—debe purificarse la boca enjuagándola con agua doce veces.

Word by Word

• अलाभे: in the absence (non-availability)
• अलाभे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Condition locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• दन्त-काष्ठानाम्: of tooth-sticks
• दन्त-काष्ठानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (दन्तानां काष्ठानि)

• अष्टमी-आदि-दिनेषु: on days beginning with the eighth lunar day
• अष्टमी-आदि-दिनेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अष्टमी आदिः येषां दिनानां तेषु)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction ‘and/also’)

• अपाम्: of water
• अपाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/आप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (वेदिक-प्रयोगः; ‘of waters’)

• द्वादश-गण्डूषैः: with twelve mouthful-rinses (gargles)
• द्वादश-गण्डूषैः: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गण्डूष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वादश गण्डूषाः)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आस्य-विशोधनम्: cleansing of the mouth
• आस्य-विशोधनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + विशोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (आस्यस्य विशोधनम्)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches śauca (purity) as a support for Shaiva sādhanā—cleanliness of the body and senses helps steady the mind for devotion, mantra, and remembrance of Pati (Shiva).

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

Before approaching Linga worship or any Saguna Shiva upāsanā, external purity is observed as part of āchāra; repeated rinsing prepares the devotee for offerings, mantra-japa, and pūjā with reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical āchāra rule: in place of dantakāṣṭha, perform twelve water rinses (gaṇḍūṣa) to cleanse the mouth—especially on tithi observance days—before japa, vrata, or pūjā.