Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 7
पूजाविधिः
Pūjā-vidhiḥ) — The Supreme Procedure of Worship (Morning Observances
दिवानाथे त्वनुदिते कृत्वा वै दंतधावनम् । मुखं षोडशवारं तु प्रक्षाल्यांजलिभिस्तथा
divānāthe tvanudite kṛtvā vai daṃtadhāvanam | mukhaṃ ṣoḍaśavāraṃ tu prakṣālyāṃjalibhistathā
Trước khi Chúa của ban ngày (Mặt Trời) mọc, hãy thực sự làm sạch răng. Rồi, bằng những vốc nước, hãy súc rửa miệng mười sáu lần cũng theo cách ấy—để lập nên sự thanh tịnh bên ngoài làm chỗ nương cho việc thờ phụng Śiva.
Suta Goswami (narrating Śiva’s prescribed conduct to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Īśāna
Significance: Connects pre-sunrise discipline with sāttvika readiness for Śiva-upāsanā; dawn purity is treated as supportive of steadiness (sthira-bhakti) and receptivity to anugraha.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It teaches that disciplined purity before sunrise prepares the body-mind as a fit vessel for Śiva-bhakti; outer cleansing supports inner steadiness (śuddhi) that matures devotion and leads toward grace (anugraha).
Linga-pūjā emphasizes cleanliness and order as expressions of reverence; washing and rinsing before worship is a practical way to honor Saguna Śiva in ritual while cultivating the inner attitude needed for realizing Śiva as the supreme Pati.
A pre-dawn āhnika: dental cleansing followed by repeated mouth rinsing with handfuls of water (a purification akin to ācamana preparation), after which one proceeds to Śiva worship—often with mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).