Shloka 76

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

Devanagari script

सूतिकाशौचसंयुक्तः शावाशौचसमन्वितः संस्पृशेन्न रजस्तासां स्पृष्ट्वा स्नात्वैव शुध्यति

Transliteration

sūtikāśaucasaṃyuktaḥ śāvāśaucasamanvitaḥ saṃspṛśenna rajastāsāṃ spṛṣṭvā snātvaiva śudhyati

Translation

സൂതികാ-അശൗചമോ ശാവ-അശൗചമോ ഉള്ളവൻ രജസ്വല സ്ത്രീകളെ സ്പർശിക്കരുത്. സ്പർശം സംഭവിച്ചാൽ സ്നാനം ചെയ്താൽ മാത്രമേ ശുദ്ധി ലഭിക്കൂ।

Word by Word

• sūtikā-āśauca-saṃyuktaḥ: endowed with childbirth-impurity

• śāva-āśauca-samanvitaḥ: endowed with death-impurity

• saṃspṛśet: should touch/come into contact

• na: not

• rajaḥ: menstrual impurity/menstrual flow

• tāsām: of those women

• spṛṣṭvā: having touched

• snātvā eva: by bathing alone/only after bathing

• śudhyati: becomes purified

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Purana-dharma to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines eligibility and ritual cleanliness (śauca) for approaching the Linga: during childbirth-impurity or death-impurity one must avoid additional sources of impurity, and if contact occurs, bathing restores fitness for Shiva-puja.

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

Shiva as Pati is ever pure (nitya-śuddha); the verse addresses the Pashu’s embodied condition, where purity disciplines reduce pasha-like obstructions so the devotee may approach Shiva’s worship with proper adhikāra.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A shauca rule: avoidance of contact with rajas during periods of ashaucha, and purification through snāna (bath), supporting disciplined Shaiva sadhana and continuity of Linga-puja.