Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

दंतकाष्ठं ततः कुर्यात्स्ववर्णक्रमतो नरः

Transliteration

daṃtakāṣṭhaṃ tataḥ kuryātsvavarṇakramato naraḥ

Translation

ତାପରେ ପୁରୁଷ ନିଜ ନିଜ ବର୍ଣ୍ଣକ୍ରମ ଅନୁସାରେ ଦନ୍ତଶୁଦ୍ଧି ପାଇଁ ଦନ୍ତକାଷ୍ଠ ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତ କରି ବ୍ୟବହାର କରୁ।

Word by Word

• danta-kāṣṭham: tooth-stick; twig for cleaning teeth
• danta-kāṣṭham: Karma (कर्म) (object of kuryāt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: danta (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāsa: tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘dantānāṃ kāṣṭham’ (tooth-stick); Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• tataḥ: then; thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (kramārtha/क्रमार्थ): ‘then, thereafter’

• kuryāt: should do; should prepare/use
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• sva-varṇa-kramataḥ: according to the order/rule of one’s own varṇa
• sva-varṇa-kramataḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + krama (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तस् अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Samāsa: tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘svasya varṇasya kramaḥ’ + ablative adverbial suffix -tas (तस्): ‘according to the order of one’s varṇa’

• naraḥ: a man; person
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Positions daily discipline (danta-śuddhi) as a limb of readiness for mantra and pūjā, supporting steadiness of mind and speech in worship.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer cleanliness and orderly conduct (nitya-kriyā) are supports for inner purity, making the seeker fit for Shiva-bhakti and for steady remembrance of Pati (Lord Shiva).

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

Before approaching the Shiva Linga, the devotee prepares through basic purification; such discipline honors Saguna Shiva through respectful, sattvic readiness for puja and mantra-japa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical morning purification step—cleaning the teeth with a dantakāṣṭha—done according to one’s dharmic rule, as part of readiness for Shiva worship, japa, and vrata observances.