Shloka 23

Sadācāra–Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Prātaḥkṛtya

Right Conduct, Social Typologies, and Morning Purification

Devanagari script

पादे मूर्ध्नि हृदि चैव मूर्ध्नि हृत्पाद एव च । हृत्पादमूर्ध्नि संप्रोक्ष्य मंत्रस्नानं विदुर्बुधाः

Transliteration

pāde mūrdhni hṛdi caiva mūrdhni hṛtpāda eva ca | hṛtpādamūrdhni saṃprokṣya maṃtrasnānaṃ vidurbudhāḥ

Translation

足・頭頂・心臓に浄水を灑ぎ、さらに頭頂・心臓・足へと重ねて灑ぎ、かくして心・足・頭を順次に清めて加持する。賢者はこれを「マントラ沐浴（マントラ・スナーナ）」、すなわちシヴァ礼拝における聖真言による内なる浄化と知る。

Word by Word

पादेon the foot

मूर्ध्निon the head

हृदिin/at the heart

चand

एवindeed/just

मूर्ध्निon the head

हृत्-पादःthe heart-foot (the foot at the heart)

एवindeed/just

चand

हृत्-पाद-मूर्ध्निon the heart-foot-head (at those points)

सम्-प्रोक्ष्यhaving sprinkled

मन्त्र-स्नानम्mantra-bath (ritual bathing with mantra)

विदुःknow/consider

बुधाःthe wise (people)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines “mantra-snāna” as a sacred inner cleansing: by consecrating head (thought), heart (devotion), and feet (conduct), the devotee aligns body-mind with Shiva (Pati), loosening impurities (pāśa) that bind the soul (paśu).

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

In Linga worship, purity is not only external; this sprinkling with mantra ritually prepares the worshipper to approach Saguna Shiva in the Linga with reverence, making the body a fit vessel for offering, japa, and abhiṣeka.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform mantra-snāna by sprinkling sanctified water while reciting Shiva-mantra (commonly the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), consecrating feet, head, and heart as a brief but complete purification before puja or japa.