Shloka 107

Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय

Devanagari script

संत्यागं चैव वस्त्राणां वर्जयेत्सर्वयत्नतः स्नात्वान्यपुरुषं नारी न स्पृशेत्तु रजस्वला

Transliteration

saṃtyāgaṃ caiva vastrāṇāṃ varjayetsarvayatnataḥ snātvānyapuruṣaṃ nārī na spṛśettu rajasvalā

Translation

Il faut, de tout effort, éviter de se défaire des vêtements de manière inconvenante. Et une femme en menstrues—même après s’être baignée—ne doit pas toucher un homme autre que son propre époux. Ainsi, pour le śauca (pureté), on protège la discipline qui soutient le culte de Śiva.

Word by Word

• saṃtyāgam: abandonment/throwing away

• ca eva: and indeed

• vastrāṇām: of garments/clothes

• varjayet: should avoid

• sarva-yatnataḥ: with all effort

• snātvā: having bathed

• anya-puruṣam: another man (not one’s own)

• nārī: a woman

• na spṛśet: should not touch

• tu: indeed/especially

• rajasvalā: a menstruating woman

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating prescriptive Śaiva dharma to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It emphasizes śauca (ritual purity) and restrained conduct as prerequisites for stable, effective Śiva-pūjā—reducing rajas and tamas that disturb mantra, nyāsa, and devotional focus.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Indirectly, it presents Śiva as Pati—the pure Lord—whose worship is approached through purity and self-regulation, helping the pashu (bound soul) loosen pasha (bondage) created by passion and social transgression.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Śauca as a foundational observance: bodily and social purity rules that support Śaiva vrata and pūjā, aligning the practitioner’s conduct with sattva to steady devotion and mantra-practice.