Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 76

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

मार्जनं तु ततः कार्यं शिवस्योपरि वै पुनः । नमस्कारं ततः क्षांतिं पुनराचमनाय च

Transliteration

mārjanaṃ tu tataḥ kāryaṃ śivasyopari vai punaḥ | namaskāraṃ tataḥ kṣāṃtiṃ punarācamanāya ca

Translation

ثم ينبغي أن يُؤدَّى مرةً أخرى طقسُ الرشّ والتطهير (mārjana) فوق شيفا، أي فوق اللِّينغا. وبعد ذلك تُقدَّم السجدةُ والتعظيم، ويُطلب العفو، ثم يُؤدَّى ācamana مرةً أخرى.

Word by Word

• mārjanam: cleansing/wiping
• mārjanam: Karta (कर्ता; ‘cleansing is to be done’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मवाचक/क्रियावाचक संज्ञा

• tu: then/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; contrast/sequence)

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; sequence)

• kāryam: to be done/required
• kāryam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः यत्)
• Form: कृ-धातोः यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/भाव्य), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be done)

• śivasya: of Śiva
• śivasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• upari: upon/over
• upari: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण; location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: upari (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/postposition)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle; emphasis)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• namaskāram: salutation
• namaskāram: Karma (कर्म; object of implied ‘perform’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namaskāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; sequence)

• kṣāntim: forbearance/forgiveness
• kṣāntim: Karma (कर्म; object of implied ‘ask/offer’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• punar: again
• punar: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb; = punaḥ)

• ācamanāya: for ācamana (ritual sipping)
• ācamanāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान; purpose/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ācamana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the purpose of sipping water)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Emphasizes ritual purity and ethical humility: cleansing (mārjana), namaskāra, and kṣamā (seeking pardon) remove doṣa and align the paśu for Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that true Śiva-bhakti is inseparable from inner and outer purity: cleansing (mārjana), humility (namaskāra), and repentance (kṣānti) refine the devotee’s intention so worship becomes a means toward Śiva’s grace and liberation.

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

The verse prescribes direct upacāras to Saguna Śiva in the form of the Liṅga—sprinkling/cleansing the deity, bowing, and concluding with renewed purification—showing that reverence and ritual order support focused devotion to Śiva’s manifest presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform mārjana (sanctified sprinkling/cleansing of the Liṅga), offer namaskāra, sincerely ask forgiveness for omissions or faults (kṣānti), and do ācamana again to re-establish purity and steadiness of mind before proceeding.