Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय
संत्यागं चैव वस्त्राणां वर्जयेत्सर्वयत्नतः स्नात्वान्यपुरुषं नारी न स्पृशेत्तु रजस्वला
saṃtyāgaṃ caiva vastrāṇāṃ varjayetsarvayatnataḥ snātvānyapuruṣaṃ nārī na spṛśettu rajasvalā
ควรหลีกเลี่ยงอย่างยิ่งการทิ้งหรือสละเสื้อผ้าอย่างไม่สมควร และสตรีที่มีระดู แม้อาบน้ำแล้ว ก็ไม่ควรสัมผัสชายอื่นนอกจากสามีของตน
Suta Goswami (narrating prescriptive Śaiva dharma to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)
It emphasizes śauca (ritual purity) and restrained conduct as prerequisites for stable, effective Śiva-pūjā—reducing rajas and tamas that disturb mantra, nyāsa, and devotional focus.
Indirectly, it presents Śiva as Pati—the pure Lord—whose worship is approached through purity and self-regulation, helping the pashu (bound soul) loosen pasha (bondage) created by passion and social transgression.
Śauca as a foundational observance: bodily and social purity rules that support Śaiva vrata and pūjā, aligning the practitioner’s conduct with sattva to steady devotion and mantra-practice.