Shloka 21

आवरणपूजावर्णनम् (Āvaraṇa-pūjā-varṇanam) — Description of Enclosure/Layered Worship

Devanagari script

सर्वोर्द्ध्वपंक्तौ पूर्वादिप्रदक्षिणविधानतः । तत्तत्स्थानेषु संपूज्य लोकपालाननुक्रमात्

Transliteration

sarvorddhvapaṃktau pūrvādipradakṣiṇavidhānataḥ | tattatsthāneṣu saṃpūjya lokapālānanukramāt

Translation

ثم على امتداد الصفّ العلوي كله—ابتداءً من الشرق وبحسب النظام المقرر للدوران يمينًا (برَدكشِنا)—تُؤدَّى العبادة للّوكابالا، حُرّاس الجهات، واحدًا بعد واحد، كلٌّ في موضعه.

Word by Word

• सर्व-ऊर्ध्व-पङ्क्तौ: in the entire upper row
• सर्व-ऊर्ध्व-पङ्क्तौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्क्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: सर्वोर्ध्वपङ्क्ति (तत्पुरुष), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूर्व-आदि-प्रदक्षिण-विधानतः: according to the prescribed clockwise order beginning from the east
• पूर्व-आदि-प्रदक्षिण-विधानतः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तः (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: समास: पूर्वादिप्रदक्षिणविधान (तत्पुरुष), तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; करण/रीत्यर्थे (by the rule/method)

• तत्-तत्-स्थानेषु: in their respective places
• तत्-तत्-स्थानेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्तत्स्थान (तत्पुरुष; 'in each respective place'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सम्पूज्य: having worshipped properly
• सम्पूज्य: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having duly worshipped)

• लोकपालान्: the guardians of the worlds (Lokapālas)
• लोकपालान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: लोक + पाल (तत्पुरुष), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अनुक्रमात्: in sequence/according to order
• अनुक्रमात्: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनुक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/रीत्यर्थे अव्ययीभाव (ablatival adverb: 'in order/according to sequence')

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Lokapalas

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shaiva worship is not random but aligned with cosmic order (ṛta): honoring the directional guardians in a clockwise sequence stabilizes the mind and sanctifies space so devotion can be offered to Shiva with steadiness and purity.

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

In Linga worship, the sanctified ritual-space around the Linga is treated as Shiva’s ordered universe; worshipping the Lokapālas in their stations supports the central offering to Saguna Shiva by acknowledging His governance through the directions and their presiding powers.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform pradakṣiṇā-oriented worship: begin from the East and proceed clockwise, offering respectful worship to each Dikpala in their proper direction before or around the main Shiva-puja; mentally, one can also visualize the guardians encircling the sacred center while reciting Shiva-mantra.