Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 43

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

Morning Purity & Bath Procedure

Devanagari script

प्रकुर्वीत करन्यासं करशोधनपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

prakurvīta karanyāsaṃ karaśodhanapūrvakam

Translation

ആദ്യം കൈകളുടെ ശുദ്ധീകരണം നടത്തി, തുടർന്ന് കരന്യാസം— കൈകളിൽ മന്ത്രശക്തി വിന്യസിക്കൽ— ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• prakurvīta: should perform
• prakurvīta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhiliṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• kara-nyāsam: hand-nyāsa (placing on the hands)
• kara-nyāsam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक) + nyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'of the hand' + 'placement'

• kara-śodhana-pūrvakam: preceded by purification of the hands
• kara-śodhana-pūrvakam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक) + śodhana (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva used adverbially; neuter accusative singular functioning as indeclinable: 'with/preceded by hand-purification'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-worship must be preceded by inner and outer purity; by purifying the hands and installing mantra through nyāsa, the devotee treats the body as a fit instrument for approaching Pati (Shiva) and loosening pāśa (bondage).

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

In Saguna Shiva worship—especially before Linga-pūjā—karaśodhana and kara-nyāsa sanctify the worshipper’s actions so that offerings, abhiṣeka, and mantra-japa are performed as consecrated acts directed to Shiva’s manifest form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform karaśodhana (hand purification) first, then kara-nyāsa—typically with a Shaiva mantra such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—to prepare for japa, dhyāna, or Linga worship.