Shloka 24

स्नानविधिः — गायत्र्यावाहन, सूर्यवन्दन, तर्पण, पञ्चमहायज्ञ, भस्मस्नान, मन्त्रस्नान

Devanagari script

पुण्यमाचमनं कुर्याद् ब्रह्मयज्ञार्थमेव तत् प्रीत्यर्थं च ऋचां विप्राः त्रिः पीत्वा प्लाव्य प्लाव्य च

Transliteration

puṇyamācamanaṃ kuryād brahmayajñārthameva tat prītyarthaṃ ca ṛcāṃ viprāḥ triḥ pītvā plāvya plāvya ca

Translation

Chỉ vì Brahma‑yajña mà nên làm ācamana thanh tịnh. Và này các Bà‑la‑môn, để làm đẹp lòng các ṛc‑kệ của Veda, hãy nhấp nước ba lần, mỗi lần lại súc rửa miệng cho tinh sạch.

Word by Word

• puṇyam: meritorious, purifying

• ācamanaṃ: ritual sipping of water (ācāmana)

• kuryāt: should do/perform

• brahmayajña-artham: for the purpose of Brahma-yajña (study/recitation of Veda as a sacrifice)

• eva: indeed/alone

• tat: that (act)

• prīti-artham: for satisfaction/pleasure

• ca: and

• ṛcām: of the Ṛk-verses (Vedic hymns)

• viprāḥ: O brāhmaṇas/learned ones

• triḥ: thrice

• pītvā: having sipped/drunk

• plāvya plāvya: rinsing repeatedly (washing the mouth)

• ca: and.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Purāṇic injunctions to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Vedic Ṛc (Rigvedic hymns)
• Brahma-yajña

FAQs

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

It establishes ācamana as a mandatory act of ritual purity before Brahma-yajña and, by extension, before Shiva-pūjā to the Liṅga—purifying the devotee (paśu) so worship is offered in a fit state to Pati (Śiva).

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

Indirectly, it points to Śiva as the Pati who is approached through śuddhi (purification) and Vedic sanctity—suggesting that disciplined purity and reverence for mantra/ṛc align the paśu toward Shiva-tattva.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ācamana performed three times with repeated rinsing—an external śauca practice that supports Vedic recitation (Brahma-yajña) and steadies the practitioner for Shaiva worship and Pāśupata-oriented discipline.