Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 13

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

Morning Purity & Bath Procedure

Devanagari script

अथ चेद्वारुणं कर्तुमशक्तः शुद्धवाससा । आर्द्रेण शोधयेद्देहमापादतलमस्तकम्

Transliteration

atha cedvāruṇaṃ kartumaśaktaḥ śuddhavāsasā | ārdreṇa śodhayeddehamāpādatalamastakam

Translation

اگر وارُṇ (آبی) طہارت ادا کرنے کی طاقت نہ ہو تو پاک لباس پہن کر نم کپڑے سے پاؤں کے تلووں سے لے کر سر کی چوٹی تک بدن کو پاک کرے۔

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर-अव्यय (then)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/condition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निपात (conditional particle: if)

• vāruṇam: the vāruṇa rite/bath
• vāruṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; (वारुण-स्नान/वारुण-कर्म)

• kartum: to do
• kartum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitival complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), प्रयोजन (to do)

• aśaktaḥ: unable
• aśaktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śakta (√śak, धातु; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नञ्-पूर्वक (unable)

• śuddha-vāsasā: with a clean cloth/garment
• śuddha-vāsasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक) + vāsas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (शुद्धं वासः)

• ārdreṇa: with something wet
• ārdreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ārdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; विशेषण (wet/moist)

• śodhayet: should cleanse/purify
• śodhayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śudh (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense possible in usage (to cleanse)

• deham: the body
• deham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ā-pāda-tala-mastakam: from foot-soles to head
• ā-pāda-tala-mastakam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + tala (प्रातिपदिक) + mastaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (from…to): ‘from the soles of the feet up to the head’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer cleanliness supports inner purity: disciplined preparation steadies the mind and makes one fit for Shiva-worship, aligning the embodied devotee (paśu) toward the Lord (Pati).

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

Linga-puja emphasizes proper upacāras; when a full water-rite is not possible, the Purana permits a practical substitute so the devotee may still approach Saguna Shiva with cleanliness and reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform preparatory purification: wear clean clothes and wipe the body with a moist cloth from feet to head as a substitute for the vāruṇa rite, then proceed to japa or puja (e.g., Panchakshara mantra).