Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 9
मन्दरगिरिवर्णनम् — Description of Mount Mandara as Śiva’s Residence
Tapas-abode
पितृभ्यां जगतो नित्यं स्नानपानोपयोगतः । अवाप्तपुण्यसंस्कारः प्रसरद्भिरितस्ततः
pitṛbhyāṃ jagato nityaṃ snānapānopayogataḥ | avāptapuṇyasaṃskāraḥ prasaradbhiritastataḥ
പിതൃകളുടെ ഈ പുണ്യജലങ്ങൾ സ്നാനപാനങ്ങൾക്ക് ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്നതിനാൽ ലോകം നിത്യമായി പോഷിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; അവയിൽ നിന്നുള്ള പുണ്യസംസ്കാരങ്ങൾ എല്ലാദിക്കിലും വ്യാപിക്കുന്നു.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Sthala Purana: A tīrtha associated with Pitṛs (ancestral beings) sustains the world through snāna and pāna; the verse frames sacred water as a carrier of puṇya-saṃskāra that radiates outward—typical of Purāṇic tīrtha ecology where merit is transmissible through contact.
Significance: Encourages ancestral rites and tīrtha-sevā: bathing/drinking here yields purificatory impressions, supporting both worldly welfare and gradual loosening of bondage through accumulated purity.
Role: nurturing
FAQs
It teaches that sacred waters connected with ancestral sanctity carry purifying power: by right use (bathing/drinking) they generate puṇya-saṁskāra—inner purification and virtuous impressions that support dharma and prepare the seeker for Shiva-oriented liberation.
In Shaiva practice, external purity (snāna) and internal sanctification (saṁskāra) are preparatory limbs for Linga worship—approaching Saguna Shiva with a cleansed body-mind so devotion (bhakti) and mantra-japa become steady and fruitful.
Perform tirtha-snana (ritual bathing) and ācamana/pāna (sipping sanctified water) with remembrance of Shiva and the Pitṛs, followed by simple Shiva-upāsanā such as Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to seal the puṇya-saṁskāra.