Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 18

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

Morning Purity & Bath Procedure

Devanagari script

वामहस्तगतांभोभिर्गंधसिद्धार्थकान्वितैः । कुशपुंजेन वाभ्युक्ष्य मूलमंत्रसमन्वितैः

Transliteration

vāmahastagatāṃbhobhirgaṃdhasiddhārthakānvitaiḥ | kuśapuṃjena vābhyukṣya mūlamaṃtrasamanvitaiḥ

Translation

ഇടങ്കയ്യിൽ പിടിച്ച ജലത്തിൽ സുഗന്ധദ്രവ്യങ്ങളും വെളുത്ത കടുകും ചേർത്ത്, കുശക്കൂട്ടംകൊണ്ട് ശിവന്റെ മൂലമന്ത്രസഹിതം പൂജാസ്ഥലം/ആധാരം പ്രോക്ഷണം ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• vāma-hasta-gatāmbhobhiḥ: with waters held in the left hand
• vāma-hasta-gatāmbhobhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāma (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (कृदन्त, √gam धातु) + ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; समासः—वामहस्ते गतानि अम्भांसि (locative-tatpuruṣa within)

• gandha-siddhārthaka-anvitaiḥ: mixed with fragrance and mustard-seeds
• gandha-siddhārthaka-anvitaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of karaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhārthaka (प्रातिपदिक) + anvita (कृदन्त, √i धातु + उपसर्ग anu)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; विशेषणम्—(अम्भोभिः) गन्धसिद्धार्थकाभ्याम् अन्वितैः

• kuśa-puṃjena: with a bundle of kuśa grass
• kuśa-puṃjena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśa (प्रातिपदिक) + puṃja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; समासः—कुशानां पुंजः

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय)

• abhyukṣya: having sprinkled
• abhyukṣya: Kriyā (क्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√ukṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), having sprinkled; upasarga: abhi

• mūla-mantra-samanvitaiḥ: accompanied by the root-mantra
• mūla-mantra-samanvitaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier of karaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + mantra (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (कृदन्त, सम्+√i धातु)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; विशेषणम्—(अम्भोभिः) मूलमन्त्रेण समन्वितैः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: A ritual technology for removing aśauca/āvaraṇa (bondage-conditions) from the worship-space and self; prepares the field for Śiva’s anugraha through mūla-mantra.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Implied mūla-mantra) oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer purification (sprinkling with sanctified water) must be united with inner purification through Śiva’s mūla-mantra, aligning the worshipper (paśu) toward Pati (Śiva) by loosening the bonds (pāśa) of impurity.

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

Sprinkling with perfumed water using kuśa is a preparatory rite that sanctifies the worship-space and the Linga’s base, making the ritual fit for Saguna-Śiva worship while the mantra links the act to Śiva’s transcendent presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform prokṣaṇa (ritual sprinkling) with water mixed with fragrance and white mustard, using a kuśa tuft, while repeating Śiva’s root mantra—commonly understood in practice as the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”