Shloka 25

Śivapūjā-stuti: Deva-Ṛṣi-Paramparāyāṃ Śaṃkara-caritasya Prastāvaḥ

Prelude to Śaṃkara’s narrative and the lineage of Śiva-worship

Devanagari script

वैवस्वतसुतास्तार्क्ष्य इक्ष्वाकुप्रमुखा नृपाः । शिवपूजारतात्मानः सर्वदा सुखभोगिनः

Transliteration

vaivasvatasutāstārkṣya ikṣvākupramukhā nṛpāḥ | śivapūjāratātmānaḥ sarvadā sukhabhoginaḥ

Translation

إن السلالات الملكية المنحدرة من فَيْفَسْوَتَا (مانو)—ومنها تاركشيا والملوك يتقدمهم إكشواكو—كانت قلوبهم مواظبة على عبادة الرب شيفا؛ ولذلك كانوا ينعمون دائمًا بالعافية وبثمار السعادة.

Word by Word

• वैवस्वत-सुताः: sons of Vaivasvata
• वैवस्वत-सुताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैवस्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वैवस्वतस्य सुताः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• तार्क्ष्य: Tārkṣya
• तार्क्ष्य: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (proper name)

• इक्ष्वाकु-प्रमुखाः: having Ikṣvāku as chief / beginning with Ikṣvāku
• इक्ष्वाकु-प्रमुखाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इक्ष्वाकु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (इक्ष्वाकुः प्रमुखः येषाम्/इक्ष्वाकु-आदि); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural qualifying नृपाः

• नृपाः: kings
• नृपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• शिव-पूजा-रत-आत्मानः: whose minds are devoted to Śiva-worship
• शिव-पूजा-रत-आत्मानः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-प्राय) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (शिवपूजायां रतः आत्मा येषाम्); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural qualifying नृपाः

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (always)

• सुख-भोगिनः: enjoyers of happiness
• सुख-भोगिनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + भोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (सुखं भोगः येषाम्/सुखं भुङ्क्ते इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural qualifying नृपाः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse links dynastic prosperity (sukha-bhoga) to Śiva-pūjā, presenting a dharma-śāstric style causality: devotion → grace → welfare; not a specific jyotirliṅga legend.

Significance: Teaches that Śiva’s anugraha can manifest as both worldly well-being and spiritual auspiciousness when worship is steady and heartfelt (rata-ātmā).

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vaivasvata Manu
• Ikshvaku
• Tarkshya

FAQs

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

It teaches that steady devotion (bhakti) to Śiva—expressed as regular Śiva-pūjā—aligns one’s life with dharma and brings auspicious results; for rulers, this means both inner steadiness and outer welfare, as Śiva is Pati (the Lord) who grants grace and right order.

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

Śiva-pūjā in Purāṇic practice is most commonly performed to Saguna Śiva through the Śiva-liṅga (with abhiṣeka, bilva offerings, mantra, and reverence). The verse highlights the fruit of such concrete, devotional worship—steadfastness of mind and beneficent outcomes.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is consistent Śiva-pūjā: daily liṅga-arcana with pañcākṣarī japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), offering bilva leaves, and maintaining purity and devotion; these are classical Kotirudra-aligned practices linked with auspicious fruits.