Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

स्नानविधिः — गायत्र्यावाहन, सूर्यवन्दन, तर्पण, पञ्चमहायज्ञ, भस्मस्नान, मन्त्रस्नान

Devanagari script

ज्योतिरग्निस् तथा सायं सम्यक् चानुदिते मृषा तस्मादुदितहोमस्थं भसितं पावनं शुभम्

Transliteration

jyotiragnis tathā sāyaṃ samyak cānudite mṛṣā tasmāduditahomasthaṃ bhasitaṃ pāvanaṃ śubham

Translation

O fogo aceso ao romper da aurora é o verdadeiro fogo sagrado; o fogo da tarde, se não estiver devidamente estabelecido, é incerto. Por isso, a cinza obtida da oblação da aurora é purificadora e auspiciosa, digna de ser portada no culto de Śiva como marca do Pati que liberta o paśu do pāśa.

Word by Word

• jyotiḥ-agniḥ: the luminous (dawn) fire

• tathā: likewise/indeed

• sāyam: in the evening

• samyak: properly, correctly

• ca: and

• anudite: when (the sun) has not risen/without sunrise (i.e., not the proper dawn context)

• mṛṣā: false, ineffective, unreliable

• tasmāt: therefore

• udita: arisen (at sunrise/dawn)

• homa: oblation, fire-offering

• stham: situated in/produced from

• bhasitam: ash

• pāvanam: purifying

• śubham: auspicious, beneficial

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana teaching tradition to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It prioritizes bhasma from the dawn homa as the most auspicious and purifying substance for Shaiva practice, implying that properly sourced ash is especially fit for Linga-Puja and for marking devotion to Mahadeva.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By emphasizing purification and auspiciousness through bhasma, it points to Shiva as Pati—the Lord whose grace removes impurity and bondage (pāśa), enabling the paśu (individual soul) to move toward liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Shaiva-leaning homa discipline: obtaining sacred ash specifically from the properly performed dawn fire-offering, aligning ritual purity with Pashupata-style observance (bhasma-dharana and Shiva-oriented sadhana).