Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 5
वसन्तस्वरूपवर्णनम् — Description of the Form/Nature of Vasant
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गृहीतदारे कामे च दृष्टे तेषु गतेषु च । संध्यायां किं तपस्तप्तुं गतायामभवत्ततः
gṛhītadāre kāme ca dṛṣṭe teṣu gateṣu ca | saṃdhyāyāṃ kiṃ tapastaptuṃ gatāyāmabhavattataḥ
जब काम अपनी पत्नी को साथ लिए दिखाई दिया और फिर वे चले गए, तब संध्या-काल में तप करने का क्या अवकाश रहा? वह पवित्र बेला बीत गई, फिर क्या सिद्ध हो सकता था?
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
The verse stresses that spiritual effort must be done at the proper sacred time (sandhyā); once the moment of disciplined worship is lost to distraction—especially desire—repentance afterward cannot fully recover the missed inner merit.
Sandhyā is traditionally a prime time for Saguna Shiva-upāsanā—japa of the Panchākṣarī, offering water and bilva, and mental worship of the Liṅga; the verse implies that neglecting this appointed worship-time weakens steadiness in devotion.
It points to sandhyā-sādhana: twilight japa (especially “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), dhyāna with restraint of senses, and regularity in daily worship—guarding the mind from kāma during the very hours meant for prayer.