Shloka 14

Kṣaura-Snāna-Vidhi — Rite of Tonsure/Shaving and Purificatory Bath (Śaiva Procedure)

Devanagari script

तीरं गत्वा तु गंडूषान्षोडशाचमनं द्विधा । प्राणानायम्य च पुनः प्रणवं द्व्यष्टसंख्यया

Transliteration

tīraṃ gatvā tu gaṃḍūṣānṣoḍaśācamanaṃ dvidhā | prāṇānāyamya ca punaḥ praṇavaṃ dvyaṣṭasaṃkhyayā

Translation

水辺に赴いたなら、口をすすぎ（ガンドゥーシャ）、アーチャマナの啜水を十六回、二組に分けて行うべし。次いで、プラーナーヤーマにより生命の息を制し、さらにプラナヴァ「オーム」を二十六回唱える。

Word by Word

• तीरम्: to the bank/shore
• तीरम्: Karma (कर्म; goal as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) of √गम्; 'having gone'

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक (particle: 'but/indeed')

• गण्डूषान्: mouthful rinses (gargles)
• गण्डूषान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण्डूष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Saṅkhyā (संख्या)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; modifies implied repetition count

• आचमनम्: ācamana (ritual sipping)
• आचमनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ritual sipping

• द्विधा: in twofold manner / twice
• द्विधा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner) = 'in two ways/twice'

• प्राणान्: breaths/vital airs
• प्राणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आयम्य: having regulated (restrained)
• आयम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु)
• Form: उपसर्ग-पूर्वक (आ-), क्त्वान्त (absolutive) of √यम्; 'having restrained/regulated'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: आवृत्ति-बोधक अव्यय (adverb)

• प्रणवम्: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'Oṃ'

• द्वि-अष्ट-संख्यया: by a count of ten (ten times)
• द्वि-अष्ट-संख्यया: Karaṇa (करण; means/measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + अष्ट (संख्या) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (द्व्यष्ट = 2+8=10); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/प्रकार), एकवचन; 'by the count of ten'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Tīrtha-sevā and prāṇāyāma with praṇava-japa purify the paśu (individual soul) and prepare it for Śiva’s anugraha through mantra-sādhana.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ (praṇava)

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shaiva worship begins with inner and outer purification—cleaning the senses (ācamana) and steadying prāṇa (prāṇāyāma)—so the mind becomes fit to contemplate Shiva as Pati, the liberating Lord.

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

Before approaching the Liṅga (Saguna Shiva as an accessible form), the devotee prepares the body-breath-mind through prescribed purifications and Praṇava japa, making the offering and meditation more focused and sattvic.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Go to a clean water source, perform mouth-rinsing and sixteen ācamana sips (in two sets), then do prāṇāyāma and repeat Oṁ (Praṇava) 26 times as a preparatory mantra discipline.