Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

शिवाश्रम-नित्यनैमित्तिककर्मविधिः / Śaiva Āśrama-Duties: Daily and Occasional Rites

Morning Purity & Bath Procedure

Devanagari script

स्नानद्रव्याणि तत्तीरे स्थापयित्वा बहिर्मलम् । व्यापोह्य मृदमालिप्य स्नात्वा गोमयमालिपेत्

Transliteration

snānadravyāṇi tattīre sthāpayitvā bahirmalam | vyāpohya mṛdamālipya snātvā gomayamālipet

Translation

அந்தப் புனித நீரின் கரையில் குளியல் பொருட்களை வைத்து, முதலில் வெளிப்புற அழுக்கை நீக்க வேண்டும்; பின்னர் சுத்தி மண்ணை பூசி குளித்து, குளித்த பின் தூய்மைக்காக கோமயத்தை (பசுங்கழிவு) பூச வேண்டும்।

Word by Word

• स्नानद्रव्याणि: bathing materials
• स्नानद्रव्याणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नानद्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक) = स्नान + द्रव्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Plural)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular; used adjectivally)

• तीरे: on the bank/shore
• तीरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• स्थापयित्वा: having placed
• स्थापयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) causative; धातु: स्था, णिच्; (having placed/caused to be placed)

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मलम्: impurity/dirt
• मलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• व्यापोह्य: having removed
• व्यापोह्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपोह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); उपसर्ग: वि + आ; (having removed)

• मृदम्: clay/earth
• मृदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• आलिप्य: having applied/smeared
• आलिप्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); उपसर्ग: आ; (having smeared/applied)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); (having bathed)

• गोमयम्: cow-dung
• गोमयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमय (प्रातिपदिक) = गो + मय
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• आलिपेत्: should smear/apply
• आलिपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: आ (Optative, 3rd person singular, Parasmaipada)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes ritual purity (bāhya-śauca) as a prerequisite for Śiva-pūjā and mantra-japa; reduces doṣa and prepares the paśu for grace-oriented practice.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that approach to Shiva begins with śauca (purity): removing gross impurities and performing disciplined cleansing so the body-mind becomes a suitable support for devotion, mantra, and Shiva’s grace.

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

Before Linga-pūjā, the devotee prepares through ritual purity; such preparatory acts honor Saguna Shiva’s worship-forms while pointing to inner refinement that supports realization of Shiva as the supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A snāna-vidhi: arrange bathing items, cleanse the body, use purifying earth, bathe, then apply a sanctifying substance—serving as a precursor to bhasma/tripuṇḍra application and focused japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya).