Shloka 23

Sadācāra–Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Prātaḥkṛtya

Right Conduct, Social Typologies, and Morning Purification

Devanagari script

पादे मूर्ध्नि हृदि चैव मूर्ध्नि हृत्पाद एव च । हृत्पादमूर्ध्नि संप्रोक्ष्य मंत्रस्नानं विदुर्बुधाः

Transliteration

pāde mūrdhni hṛdi caiva mūrdhni hṛtpāda eva ca | hṛtpādamūrdhni saṃprokṣya maṃtrasnānaṃ vidurbudhāḥ

Translation

പാദങ്ങളിൽ, ശിരസ്സിൽ, ഹൃദയത്തിൽ; പിന്നെയും ശിരസ്സിൽ, ഹൃദയത്തിൽ, പാദങ്ങളിൽ പവിത്രജലം പ്രോക്ഷിച്ച്—ഇങ്ങനെ ഹൃദയം, പാദം, ശിരസ് എന്നിവ ക്രമമായി സംസ്കരിക്കുന്നതിനെ ജ്ഞാനികൾ ‘മന്ത്രസ്നാനം’ എന്നു അറിയുന്നു; ശിവാരാധനയിൽ മന്ത്രംകൊണ്ടുള്ള അന്തഃശുദ്ധി.

Word by Word

• पादे: on the foot
• पादे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; Locative singular (irregular stem मूर्धन्)

• हृदि: in/at the heart
• हृदि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; Locative singular

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय; conjunction

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय; emphatic particle

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head
• मूर्ध्नि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; Locative singular

• हृत्-पादः: the heart-foot (the foot at the heart)
• हृत्-पादः: कर्म/अधिकरण (Object/Locative target in listing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘हृदयस्य पादः’

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय; emphatic particle

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय; conjunction

• हृत्-पाद-मूर्ध्नि: on the heart-foot-head (at those points)
• हृत्-पाद-मूर्ध्नि: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; Locative singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (समाहार/निर्देश)

• सम्-प्रोक्ष्य: having sprinkled
• सम्-प्रोक्ष्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रक्ष् (धातु) with सम्- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; having sprinkled

• मन्त्र-स्नानम्: mantra-bath (ritual bathing with mantra)
• मन्त्र-स्नानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular; तत्पुरुष ‘मन्त्रेण स्नानम्’

• विदुः: know/consider
• विदुः: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘they know’

• बुधाः: the wise (people)
• बुधाः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; Nominative plural

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Mantra-snāna functions as inner/outer readiness for darśana and pūjā; it is a practical ‘adhikāra-śuddhi’ that supports the soul’s approach to Pati.

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It defines “mantra-snāna” as a sacred inner cleansing: by consecrating head (thought), heart (devotion), and feet (conduct), the devotee aligns body-mind with Shiva (Pati), loosening impurities (pāśa) that bind the soul (paśu).

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

In Linga worship, purity is not only external; this sprinkling with mantra ritually prepares the worshipper to approach Saguna Shiva in the Linga with reverence, making the body a fit vessel for offering, japa, and abhiṣeka.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform mantra-snāna by sprinkling sanctified water while reciting Shiva-mantra (commonly the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), consecrating feet, head, and heart as a brief but complete purification before puja or japa.