Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5
स्कन्दसरः (Skandasara) — तीर्थवर्णनम् / Description of the Skandasara Sacred Lake
तत्रावतीर्णैश्च यथा तत्रोत्तीर्णश्च भूयसा । स्नातैः सितोपवीतैश्च शुक्लाकौपीनवल्कलैः
tatrāvatīrṇaiśca yathā tatrottīrṇaśca bhūyasā | snātaiḥ sitopavītaiśca śuklākaupīnavalkalaiḥ
അവിടെ പലരും യഥാക്രമം ജലത്തിലിറങ്ങി, പിന്നെ അതേ ക്രമത്തിൽ തന്നെ പുറത്തെത്തി. സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത് അവർ ശ്വേത ഉപവീതം ധരിച്ചു, നിർമലമായ വെളുത്ത കൗപീനവും വൽക്കലവസ്ത്രവും അണിഞ്ഞിരുന്നു.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
Sthala Purana: Depicts tīrtha-snāna discipline (descending/ascending in order) typical of kṣetra practice; not tied here to a named Jyotirliṅga episode.
Significance: Snāna with śauca and regulated conduct is presented as a preparatory purifier for Śiva-pūjā—supporting the soul’s readiness for grace (anugraha).
Role: nurturing
FAQs
The verse highlights outer purity (snāna, white garments, sacred thread) as a support for inner purity—calming the mind and making the worshipper fit for Shiva-upāsanā, where disciplined conduct becomes a doorway to grace (anugraha) and liberation.
It reflects the preparatory rites traditionally performed before approaching Saguna Shiva in the form of the Liṅga—bathing and wearing clean, sattvic attire as part of respectful, rule-based worship (vidhi), which steadies devotion and focus.
Perform snāna (ritual bath), wear clean white clothing and a proper upavīta if eligible, then proceed to Shiva worship with a composed mind—ideally accompanying the rite with japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”