Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 16
पूजाविधिः
Pūjā-vidhiḥ) — The Supreme Procedure of Worship (Morning Observances
परधार्य्यं च नोच्छिष्टं रात्रौ च विधृतं च यत् । तेन स्नानं तथा कार्यं क्षालितं च परित्यजेत्
paradhāryyaṃ ca nocchiṣṭaṃ rātrau ca vidhṛtaṃ ca yat | tena snānaṃ tathā kāryaṃ kṣālitaṃ ca parityajet
മറ്റൊരാൾ ധരിച്ച വസ്ത്രമോ, ഉച്ഛിഷ്ടസ്പർശം കൊണ്ടു അശുദ്ധമായതോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ രാത്രി മുഴുവൻ ശരീരത്തിൽ ധരിച്ചതോ—ഇത്തരം സാഹചര്യത്തിൽ വിധിപ്രകാരം സ്നാനം ചെയ്യണം; അശുദ്ധി നീക്കാൻ കഴുകിയതിനെ ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണം.
Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Shiva Purana teachings on purity and ritual conduct to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pasha
Significance: Highlights bondage through impurity/contamination (pāśa) and prescribes remedial śauca (snāna, discarding contaminated items), restoring eligibility for Śiva’s worship.
FAQs
The verse emphasizes śauca (purity) as a foundational discipline: by removing physical impurity through snāna, the devotee becomes fit for Shiva-upāsanā, aligning outer cleanliness with inner sattva and reverence toward Pati (Shiva).
Linga-pūjā is performed with ritual exactness; contact with impure substances or conditions requires purification first, so the offerings and the worshipper’s state are appropriate for Saguna Shiva worship in the temple/home shrine context.
A purificatory bath (snāna) is prescribed before worship; practically, it supports daily Shiva sādhanā such as clean preparation for mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and orderly pūjā, though this verse itself focuses on bathing and discarding contaminated items.