Shiva Purana — Kotirudra Samhita, Shloka 26

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

प्रातरुत्थाय मेधावी परमानन्दसंयुतः । समाचरेन्नित्यकृत्यं स्नानादिकमतन्द्रितः

Transliteration

prātarutthāya medhāvī paramānandasaṃyutaḥ | samācarennityakṛtyaṃ snānādikamatandritaḥ

Translation

清晨起身，具慧之奉献者——具足至上喜乐（由归向湿婆之修持而生）——当不懈怠地行持日常应作之事，自沐浴等净化仪轨始。

Word by Word

• प्रातर्: in the morning
• प्रातर्: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रातर् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• उत्थाय: having risen
• उत्थाय: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्-स्था (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• मेधावी: the intelligent (man)
• मेधावी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘intelligent person’

• परमानन्दसंयुतः: endowed with supreme bliss
• परमानन्दसंयुतः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + आनन्द + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (परमः आनन्दः येन/यत्र सः); adjective qualifying मेधावी

• समाचरेत्: should perform
• समाचरेत्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विध्यर्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नित्यकृत्यम्: daily duty
• नित्यकृत्यम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य + कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास ‘नित्यं कृत्यम्’

• स्नानादिकम्: (acts) such as bathing, etc.
• स्नानादिकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान + आदि + क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास ‘स्नानं आदिः यस्य तत्’ (etc. beginning with bath)

• अतन्द्रितः: unwearied; without laziness
• अतन्द्रितः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + तन्द्रित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषभाव (negated adjective)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Begins the vrata’s practical regimen: rise early, cultivate disciplined joy (paramānanda) rooted in Śiva-oriented practice, and perform nitya-karmas starting with snāna. This is the standard ‘purification and readiness’ preface to liṅga-pūjā.

Significance: Encourages pilgrims and householders to align daily discipline with temple worship—purity (snāna), alertness (atandrita), and inner bliss—before approaching the liṅga.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-oriented life begins with disciplined purity: rising early, cleansing, and completing daily duties so the mind becomes fit for bhakti and contemplation of Pati (Shiva), leading toward inner bliss and steadiness.

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

Linga-worship traditionally starts after bodily and ritual purification; this verse frames snāna and nitya-karmas as the immediate preparation for approaching Saguna Shiva in the Linga with reverence and mental clarity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Early rising, bathing (snāna), and completing daily observances without laziness—serving as the foundation for subsequent Shiva-puja, japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and other Shaiva disciplines.