Shiva resides in those houses where which kitchen, bedrooms, and living rooms are kept clean. Blankets should be folded soon upon waking up. It is wrong to leave the bed undone and then rushing off for other chores. An undone bed invites laziness and sickness. It keeps calling, “Come, fall sick and put me to use.” Where the bed is done and blanket is folded it ceases to invite. Only at night it will call. Bed sheets should be cleaned regularly. They should be kept hygienically. Smelly bed spreads invite dust and mites.
You perhaps may wonder what could be the connection between cleanliness and Shiva? Shiva is pure and clean like a crystal. A crystal allows us to see through it clearly. Hence our houses should be crystal pure. Our minds should also be clean and pure. Feelings of envy should be driven out completely.
- Shivaratri 2016 speech
