Shloka 19

Sadācāra–Varṇa-lakṣaṇa and Prātaḥkṛtya

Right Conduct, Social Typologies, and Morning Purification

Devanagari script

नद्यादितीर्थस्नाने तु स्नानवस्त्रं न शोधयेत् । वापीकूपगृहादौ तु स्नानादूर्ध्वं नयेद्बुधः

Transliteration

nadyāditīrthasnāne tu snānavastraṃ na śodhayet | vāpīkūpagṛhādau tu snānādūrdhvaṃ nayedbudhaḥ

Translation

دریا وغیرہ کے تیرتھ میں غسل کے وقت غسل کا کپڑا وہیں نہ دھوئے۔ مگر باولی، کنواں یا غسل خانے وغیرہ میں غسل کے بعد دانا شخص اس کپڑے کو وہاں سے لے جائے۔

Word by Word

• नदी-आदि-तीर्थ-स्नाने: in bathing at rivers etc. (sacred fords)
• नदी-आदि-तीर्थ-स्नाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (नद्यादि-तीर्थेषु स्नानम्)

• तु: however/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• स्नान-वस्त्रम्: bathing cloth
• स्नान-वस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (स्नानस्य वस्त्रम्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• शोधयेत्: should cleanse/wash
• शोधयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुध्/√शुच् (धातु) (causative sense: शोधन)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (णिच्-अर्थः) ‘should cleanse’

• वापी-कूप-गृह-आदौ: in (places like) ponds, wells, houses, etc.
• वापी-कूप-गृह-आदौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वापी (प्रातिपदिक) + कूप (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (वापी च कूपश्च गृहं च) + ‘आदि’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषण-अव्यय (particle)

• स्नानात्: after bathing/from bathing
• स्नानात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• ऊर्ध्वम्: afterwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: काल/क्रम-अव्यय (adverb: ‘afterwards/upwards’)

• नयेत्: should lead/take (it)
• नयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• बुधः: the wise person
• बुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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 śauca (ritual purity) and restraint at tīrthas—treating sacred waters as sanctifying, not as a place for mundane washing—so the devotee’s reverence supports inner purity aligned with Shaiva dharma.

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

Tīrtha-bathing is a preparatory discipline for approaching Saguna Shiva in worship; by observing proper conduct, the devotee becomes fit for Linga-pūjā, mantra-japa, and other acts of devotion performed with cleanliness and respect.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to keep the bathing act focused on purification: avoid washing clothes in river-tīrthas, maintain disciplined conduct, and then proceed to Shiva worship (e.g., japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a purified mind and body.