Shloka 26

Aghora-Mantra Japa: Graded Expiations, Pañcagavya Purification, and Homa for Mahāpātaka-Nivṛtti

Devanagari script

अहोरात्रोषितः स्नातः पिबेत्कूर्चं शिवाग्रतः ब्राह्मं ब्रह्मजपं कुर्याद् आचम्य च यथाविधि

Transliteration

ahorātroṣitaḥ snātaḥ pibetkūrcaṃ śivāgrataḥ brāhmaṃ brahmajapaṃ kuryād ācamya ca yathāvidhi

Translation

अहोरात्रव्रतं कृत्वा स्नात्वा शिवसन्निधौ कूर्चोदकं पिबेत्; ततः यथाविध्याचम्य ब्राह्मं कर्म—ब्रह्ममन्त्रजपं—कुर्यात्, येन पाशबद्धः पशुः शुद्धो भूत्वा पतिं शिवं प्रति गच्छेत्।

Word by Word

• अहोरात्र-उषितः: having stayed/kept vigil for a full day and night (observing restraint)

• स्नातः: having bathed

• पिबेत्: should drink/sip

• कूर्चम्: kūrca (purificatory/ritual water associated with darbha/kūrca, a sanctifying sip)

• शिव-अग्रतः: in front of Śiva / in Śiva’s presence

• ब्राह्मम्: pertaining to Brahman / the Brāhma rite

• ब्रह्म-जपम्: repetition (japa) of the Brahman-mantra (Vedic sacred formula)

• कुर्यात्: should do

• आचम्य: having sipped water ritually (ācamana)

• च: and

• यथा-विधि: according to rule/proper procedure.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja procedure to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahman

FAQs

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

It sets the prerequisite purification sequence—vigil/discipline, bathing, sanctified sipping (kūrca), and proper ācamana—so the worshipper becomes fit to stand before Śiva and begin mantra-based worship.

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

Śiva is implied as Pati—the immediate divine presence before whom the paśu must be ritually and inwardly purified; nearness to Śiva-tattva is approached through śuddhi (purification) and brahman-oriented japa.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A preparatory sādhana combining vrata-like restraint (ahorātra discipline), snāna, ācamana, and Vedic mantra-japa—an outer-and-inner purification aligned with Pāśupata-oriented Śiva-pūjā.