Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 12
विभूतिविस्तरप्रश्नः / Inquiry into the Expansion of Śiva’s Vibhūti
वायुरुवाच । स्वेच्छया ह्यवतीर्णोपि वासुदेवस्सनातनः । निंदयन्निव मानुष्यं देहशुद्धिं चकार सः
vāyuruvāca | svecchayā hyavatīrṇopi vāsudevassanātanaḥ | niṃdayanniva mānuṣyaṃ dehaśuddhiṃ cakāra saḥ
Vāyu dit : «Bien que l’éternel Vāsudeva fût descendu de son plein gré, il agit comme s’il blâmait la condition humaine et accomplit ainsi la purification du corps.»
Vayu
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Sthala Purana: No direct Jyotirliṅga episode is invoked here; the verse frames Viṣṇu’s avatāra as pedagogical—accepting embodied discipline to instruct beings about purification and dharma.
Significance: General teaching: even the eternal assumes embodied observances, validating śarīra-śuddhi as a preparatory limb for Śiva-bhakti and jñāna.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights that even a divine being, though intrinsically pure, models disciplined purification to teach embodied souls that spiritual realization requires refining body and conduct as supports for inner purity and liberation.
In Shaiva practice, external and internal purity (ācāra and śuddhi) prepare the devotee for focused Linga-worship; the verse frames purification as a pedagogical act that strengthens eligibility (adhikāra) for Saguna Shiva devotion leading toward the realization of Shiva as Pati.
Deha-śuddhi implies preparatory disciplines—cleanliness, regulated living, and purificatory observances—often paired in Shaiva contexts with bhasma (Tripuṇḍra), mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and yogic restraint to steady the mind for worship.