Shloka 19

Dehāśucitā-vicāraḥ

Inquiry into the Impurity of the Body

Devanagari script

तीर्थस्नानैस्तपोभिर्वा दुष्टात्मा नैव शुध्यति । श्वदृतिः क्षालिता तीर्थे किं शुद्धिमधिगच्छति

Transliteration

tīrthasnānaistapobhirvā duṣṭātmā naiva śudhyati | śvadṛtiḥ kṣālitā tīrthe kiṃ śuddhimadhigacchati

Translation

Dù tắm ở các thánh địa (tīrtha) hay thực hành khổ hạnh (tapas), kẻ tâm địa xấu ác vẫn chẳng hề được thanh tịnh. Da chó đem giặt nơi linh thiêng thì rốt cuộc đạt được sự trong sạch nào?

Word by Word

• तीर्थस्नानैः: by bathing at sacred places
• तीर्थस्नानैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr), बहुवचन

• तपोभिः: by austerities
• तपोभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr), बहुवचन

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• दुष्टात्मा: a wicked-souled person
• दुष्टात्मा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• एव: indeed, at all
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: just/indeed)

• शुध्यति: is purified
• शुध्यति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• श्वदृतिः: a dog's hide
• श्वदृतिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक) + दृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन; 'dog-skin'

• क्षालिता: washed
• क्षालिता: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षल् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन; agrees with श्वदृतिः

• तीर्थे: in a sacred place
• तीर्थे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Loc), एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc) एकवचन; interrogative used adverbially 'what?'

• शुद्धिम्: purity
• शुद्धिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन

• अधिगच्छति: attains
• अधिगच्छति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana’s teaching as a general doctrinal statement within Umāsaṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General tīrtha critique via analogy (dog-hide washed at a holy ford); not a Jyotirliṅga narrative.

Significance: Teaches that tīrtha-snāna and tapas require inner conversion; otherwise they do not remove pāśa (bondage) rooted in mala and wrong disposition.

FAQs

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

It teaches that external rites—pilgrimage bathing and austerity—do not purify a person whose inner disposition remains impure; true śuddhi arises from inner reform, devotion, and right conduct aligned with Shiva-dharma.

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

Linga-worship is not presented as a mere outer act; it is effective when joined with bhakti, humility, and ethical restraint. Without inner surrender to Saguna Shiva, ritual remains like washing a hide—externally touched, internally unchanged.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prioritize inner purification alongside ritual: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), repentance and self-control, and sincere Shiva-bhakti; pilgrimage and vrata become fruitful when supported by these.