Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 21
लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः
Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi
शूद्रो द्विवारं च मृदं गृह्णीयाद्विधिशुद्धये । गुदे वाथ सकृल्लिंगे वारमेकं प्रयत्नतः
śūdro dvivāraṃ ca mṛdaṃ gṛhṇīyādvidhiśuddhaye | gude vātha sakṛlliṃge vāramekaṃ prayatnataḥ
ശൂദ്രൻ വിധിശുദ്ധിക്കായി മണ്ണ് രണ്ടുതവണ എടുക്കണം; ഗുദത്തിൽ ഒരുതവണയും ലിംഗത്തിൽ ഒരുതവണയും—ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ ചെയ്യണം.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pasha
Sthala Purana: Continuation of śauca codification: specifies clay-use counts for Śūdra and particular cleansing for anus and genital organ—ritual hygiene as prerequisite to sacred acts.
Significance: Reinforces that approach to worship requires disciplined bodily purity; in Siddhānta terms, external śuddhi supports internal readiness though liberation ultimately depends on Śiva’s grace.
FAQs
It frames outer cleanliness as a support for inner śuddhi: disciplined bodily purity steadies the mind and prepares the worshipper for reverent approach to Śiva, in whom purity culminates as inner detachment and devotion.
By prescribing careful purification of the body, the text emphasizes proper preparation before approaching Saguna Śiva in Liṅga-worship, where reverence (ācāra) and purity (śuddhi) safeguard the sanctity of pūjā.
A practical instruction for ritual cleansing using earth/clay as part of vidhiśuddhi; as a takeaway, one should perform purification carefully before japa or Liṅga-pūjā, then proceed with mantra remembrance such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).