Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

शिवाश्रम-नित्यनैमित्तिककर्मविधिः / Śaiva Āśrama-Duties: Daily and Occasional Rites

Morning Purity & Bath Procedure

Devanagari script

अथ चेद्वारुणं कर्तुमशक्तः शुद्धवाससा । आर्द्रेण शोधयेद्देहमापादतलमस्तकम्

Transliteration

atha cedvāruṇaṃ kartumaśaktaḥ śuddhavāsasā | ārdreṇa śodhayeddehamāpādatalamastakam

Translation

വാരുണശുദ്ധി ചെയ്യാൻ കഴിയാത്തപക്ഷം, ശുദ്ധവസ്ത്രം ധരിച്ചു, നനഞ്ഞ തുണിയാൽ പാദതലത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മസ്തകം വരെ ദേഹം ശുദ്ധീകരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर-अव्यय (then)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निपात (conditional particle: if)

• vāruṇam: the vāruṇa rite/bath
• vāruṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; (वारुण-स्नान/वारुण-कर्म)

• kartum: to do
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitival complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), प्रयोजन (to do)

• aśaktaḥ: unable
• aśaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śakta (√śak, धातु; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नञ्-पूर्वक (unable)

• śuddha-vāsasā: with a clean cloth/garment
• śuddha-vāsasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (शुद्धं वासः)

• ārdreṇa: with something wet
• ārdreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; विशेषण (wet/moist)

• śodhayet: should cleanse/purify
• śodhayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śudh (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense possible in usage (to cleanse)

• deham: the body
• deham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ā-pāda-tala-mastakam: from foot-soles to head
• ā-pāda-tala-mastakam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक) + mastaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (from…to): ‘from the soles of the feet up to the head’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer cleanliness supports inner purity: disciplined preparation steadies the mind and makes one fit for Shiva-worship, aligning the embodied devotee (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

Linga-puja emphasizes proper upacāras; when a full water-rite is not possible, the Purana permits a practical substitute so the devotee may still approach Saguna Shiva with cleanliness and reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform preparatory purification: wear clean clothes and wipe the body with a moist cloth from feet to head as a substitute for the vāruṇa rite, then proceed to japa or puja (e.g., Panchakshara mantra).