Shloka 86

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

Devanagari script

सपिण्डता च पुरुषे सप्तमे विनिवर्तते अतिक्रान्ते दशाहे तु त्रिरात्रमशुचिर्भवेत्

Transliteration

sapiṇḍatā ca puruṣe saptame vinivartate atikrānte daśāhe tu trirātramaśucirbhavet

Translation

男子において、葬送儀礼に関わるサピンダ（sapinda）の親縁は第七代で尽きる。さらに十日が過ぎれば、不浄は三夜のみとなる。かくしてアーシャウチャ（āśauca）の規定は、パシュ（paśu・束縛された魂）のために整えられ、正しく清めたのち、シヴァへと向かう行い—規律ある儀礼によってパティ（Pati）を礼拝する道—へ帰らしめる。

Word by Word

• सपिण्डता: sapinda-relationship (shared ancestral offering/lineage)

• च: and

• पुरुषे: for a man/person

• सप्तमे: in the seventh (generation/degree)

• विनिवर्तते: ceases/comes to an end

• अतिक्रान्ते: when passed/elapsed

• दशाहे: ten days

• तु: indeed/but

• त्रिरात्रम्: three nights

• अशुचिः: impure/ritually unclean

• भवेत्: becomes/is

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating normative dharma within the Linga Purana discourse to the sages of Naimisharanya)

FAQs

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

It sets eligibility boundaries for ritual purity: once the prescribed aśauca period is completed, the devotee can resume linga-puja, japa, and śaiva observances without violating dharma.

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

Indirectly, it frames Shiva as Pati—the ever-pure Lord—while the pashu must follow purification rules to approach His worship; purity disciplines the soul’s conduct toward liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ritual discipline (aśauca-niyama) connected to death-rites and purification, which safeguards the continuity of Shiva-puja and supports steadiness in sādhana (including Pashupata-aligned practice).