Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

ततः प्रक्षालयेत्पादं हस्तं ब्रह्मविदां वरः व्यपोह्य भस्म चादाय देवदेवमनुस्मरन्

Transliteration

tataḥ prakṣālayetpādaṃ hastaṃ brahmavidāṃ varaḥ vyapohya bhasma cādāya devadevamanusmaran

Translation

其后，诸知梵者中最胜者当洗净双足与双手；继而除去垢秽，取持圣灰（bhasma），忆念诸神之神——湿婆（Śiva）。

Word by Word

• ततः (tataḥ): thereafter

• प्रक्षालयेत् (prakṣālayet): should wash/cleanse

• पादं (pādaṃ): the feet

• हस्तं (hastaṃ): the hands

• ब्रह्मविदां वरः (brahmavidāṃ varaḥ): the foremost among knowers of Brahman/true reality

• व्यपोह्य (vyapohya): having removed/cleared away

• भस्म (bhasma): sacred ash

• च (ca): and

• आदाय (ādāya): having taken/received

• देवदेवम् (devadevam): the God of gods (Śiva)

• अनुस्मरन् (anusmaran): remembering/keeping in continuous recollection.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-puja procedure as taught in the Linga Purana tradition)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes the mandatory preparatory discipline for liṅga-pūjā: external purity (washing hands/feet), inner purity (removing impurities), and Śiva-smaraṇa, followed by adopting bhasma as a Shaiva mark of consecration.

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

By calling Him “Devadeva,” it presents Śiva as Pati—the supreme Lord beyond all gods—who is approached not merely by action but by continuous remembrance (anusmaraṇa), aligning the worshipper’s pashu (individual soul) toward the Lord.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Shaiva purification sequence central to Pāśupata-oriented practice: bodily cleansing, taking bhasma, and maintaining Śiva-smaraṇa—an integration of puja-vidhi with yogic recollection.