Shloka 89

Adhyaya 89: शौचाचारलक्षणम् — सदाचार, भैक्ष्यचर्या, प्रायश्चित्त, द्रव्यशुद्धि, आशौच-निर्णय

Devanagari script

अनुगम्य च वै स्नात्वा घृतं प्राश्य विशुध्यति आचार्यमरणे चैव त्रिरात्रं श्रोत्रिये मृते

Transliteration

anugamya ca vai snātvā ghṛtaṃ prāśya viśudhyati ācāryamaraṇe caiva trirātraṃ śrotriye mṛte

Translation

随行送葬之后再沐浴，以啜饮少许酥油（ghṛta）而得清净。若上师阿阇梨（ācārya）圆寂，或通晓吠陀的诵习者（śrotriya）去世，则不净（aśauca）之期为三夜。

Word by Word

• अनुगम्य: having followed (the procession)

• च: and

• वै: indeed

• स्नात्वा: having bathed

• घृतम्: ghee

• प्राश्य: having sipped/partaken

• विशुध्यति: becomes purified

• आचार्य-मरणे: upon the death of the teacher (ācārya)

• च एव: and also

• त्रि-रात्रम्: three nights

• श्रोत्रिये: in the case of a śrotriya (Veda-learned Brahmin)

• मृते: when dead/when death occurs

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It sets the dharmic prerequisite of śauca (purity) after contact with death-related rites, indicating that proper purification is required before resuming Shiva-upasana and Linga-puja.

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

Implicitly, it presents Shiva as Pati (the Lord) approached through disciplined conduct: when the pashu (bound soul) observes śuddhi and restraint, the pasha of impurity and confusion is loosened, making the mind fit for devotion and knowledge.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Aśauca–śuddhi: bathing after the funeral-following rite and sipping ghee as a purificatory act, along with observing a three-night impurity period for the death of an ācārya or śrotriya—supporting the yogic discipline (niyama) that undergirds Pashupata-oriented Shiva worship.