Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9

मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence

Tapas-abode

Devanagari script

पितृभ्यां जगतो नित्यं स्नानपानोपयोगतः । अवाप्तपुण्यसंस्कारः प्रसरद्भिरितस्ततः

Transliteration

pitṛbhyāṃ jagato nityaṃ snānapānopayogataḥ | avāptapuṇyasaṃskāraḥ prasaradbhiritastataḥ

Translation

Par les eaux sacrées des Pitṛ (ancêtres), le monde est sans cesse soutenu, car on s’en sert pour se baigner et boire. D’elles naissent un mérite purificateur et des empreintes saintes, qui se répandent en tous sens.

Word by Word

• पितृभ्याम्: by/with the two fathers (ancestors)
• पितृभ्याम्: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), द्विवचन; instrumental dual

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; genitive singular

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• स्नान: bathing
• स्नान: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग); stem used in compound

• पान: drinking
• पान: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग); stem used in compound

• उपयोगतः: from/through the use (for bathing and drinking)
• उपयोगतः: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Source, Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; -तः = ablative singular; समास: स्नान-पान-उपयोग (तत्पुरुष)

• अवाप्त: obtained
• अवाप्त: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव् + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; used as compound member

• पुण्य: merit
• पुण्य: सम्बन्ध (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• संस्कारः: (he) whose meritorious consecration/merit-accruing rite is obtained
• संस्कारः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समास: अवाप्त-पुण्य-संस्कार (तत्पुरुष)

• प्रसरद्भिः: by (waters) flowing/spreading
• प्रसरद्भिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + सृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• इतस्: from here
• इतस्: देशाधिकरण (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/स्थानवाचक (adverb of place)

• ततः: from there
• ततः: देशाधिकरण (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/स्थानवाचक (adverb of place)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: A tīrtha associated with Pitṛs (ancestral beings) sustains the world through snāna and pāna; the verse frames sacred water as a carrier of puṇya-saṃskāra that radiates outward—typical of Purāṇic tīrtha ecology where merit is transmissible through contact.

Significance: Encourages ancestral rites and tīrtha-sevā: bathing/drinking here yields purificatory impressions, supporting both worldly welfare and gradual loosening of bondage through accumulated purity.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It teaches that sacred waters connected with ancestral sanctity carry purifying power: by right use (bathing/drinking) they generate puṇya-saṁskāra—inner purification and virtuous impressions that support dharma and prepare the seeker for Shiva-oriented liberation.

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

In Shaiva practice, external purity (snāna) and internal sanctification (saṁskāra) are preparatory limbs for Linga worship—approaching Saguna Shiva with a cleansed body-mind so devotion (bhakti) and mantra-japa become steady and fruitful.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform tirtha-snana (ritual bathing) and ācamana/pāna (sipping sanctified water) with remembrance of Shiva and the Pitṛs, followed by simple Shiva-upāsanā such as Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to seal the puṇya-saṁskāra.