Shloka 55

Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय

Devanagari script

वर्जयेत्सर्वयत्नेन वासो ऽन्यैर् विधृतं द्विजाः कौशेयाविकयो रूक्षैः क्षौमाणां गौरसर्षपैः

Transliteration

varjayetsarvayatnena vāso 'nyair vidhṛtaṃ dvijāḥ kauśeyāvikayo rūkṣaiḥ kṣaumāṇāṃ gaurasarṣapaiḥ

Translation

ஓ இருமுறை பிறந்தோரே, பிறர் அணிந்த ஆடையை முழு முயற்சியுடன் தவிர்க்க வேண்டும். அதுபோல பட்டு அல்லது கம்பளியின் கரடுமுரடான துணி, மேலும் நார்/லினன் துணியை கடினப்படுத்தியதோ அல்லது வெளிர் கடுகு விழுது பூசி மாசுபடுத்தியதோ ஆகியவற்றையும் விலக்க வேண்டும்; இவை சிவபூஜையின் தூய்மையைத் தடுக்கும்.

Word by Word

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid

• सर्वयत्नेन: with every effort/carefully

• वासः: garment/cloth

• अन्यैः: by others

• विधृतम्: worn/used

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya)

• कौशेय: silk

• आविक: wool

• रूक्षैः: rough/coarse

• क्षौमाणाम्: of linen/flax garments

• गौर: pale/whitish

• सर्षपैः: with mustard seeds (or mustard paste)

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes śauca (ritual purity) as a prerequisite for Linga-pūjā: the worshipper should avoid second-hand or ritually tainted clothing and coarse, impurity-associated fabrics so the offering to Pati (Śiva) is made with disciplined cleanliness.

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

By demanding careful purity, it implies Śiva as Pati—the supremely pure consciousness—approached through regulated conduct; the pashu (bound soul) loosens pāśa (impurity and negligence) by aligning outer actions with inner reverence.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It highlights pūjā-vidhi and ācāra: maintaining bodily and material cleanliness (especially clothing) as a supportive limb of Pāśupata-oriented discipline that steadies the mind for mantra, abhiṣeka, and worship.