Shloka 31

पार्थिवप्रतिमापूजाविधानम्

Pārthiva-pratimā Pūjā-vidhāna — Procedure for Worship of an Earthen Icon

Devanagari script

नित्यनैमित्तिकं कालात्सद्यः काम्ये स्वनुष्ठिते । नित्यं मासं च पक्षं च वर्षं चैव यथाक्रमम्

Transliteration

nityanaimittikaṃ kālātsadyaḥ kāmye svanuṣṭhite | nityaṃ māsaṃ ca pakṣaṃ ca varṣaṃ caiva yathākramam

Translation

الطقوس الواجبة والطقوس العارضة تؤتي ثمرتها في أوانها؛ أمّا العمل الكامْيَا (kāmya) القائم على الرغبة إذا أُدِّي على وجهه الصحيح فإن نتيجته تأتي حالًا. وعلى الترتيب: الفوريّ للكāmya، ولغيره—يوميًّا، وشهريًّا، ونصفَ شهريّ (pakṣa)، وسنويًّا.

Word by Word

• नित्य-नैमित्तिकम्: the regular and the occasional (rites)
• नित्य-नैमित्तिकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (नित्यं च नैमित्तिकं च) समाहार

• कालात्: from time/according to time
• कालात्: अपादान (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (immediately)

• काम्ये: in a desire-motivated (rite)
• काम्ये: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; 'काम्यकर्मणि' इत्यर्थे (in a desire-motivated rite)

• सु-अनुष्ठिते: when well-performed
• सु-अनुष्ठिते: विशेषण (to kāmye)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुष्ठित (कृदन्त; √स्था/√स्थि धातु with अनु-उपसर्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) with उपपद 'सु-' = well-performed

• नित्यम्: regularly/always
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• मासम्: (for) a month
• मासम्: कालाधिकरण (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (accusative of duration)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• पक्षम्: (for) a fortnight
• पक्षम्: कालाधिकरण (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• वर्षम्: (for) a year
• वर्षम्: कालाधिकरण (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• यथा-क्रमम्: in proper sequence
• यथा-क्रमम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (in due order)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Explains temporal maturation of karma-phala (nitya/naimittika vs kāmya). In Siddhānta, this maps to pāśa as karmic bondage whose fruits ripen by time; liberation requires Śiva’s anugraha beyond mere karma.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It distinguishes duties done as dharma (nitya/naimittika) from desire-driven rites (kāmya), teaching that disciplined, regular observance ripens results over time, while kāmya aims at quick, worldly outcomes—encouraging the seeker to prefer steady Shiva-oriented practice.

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

Linga-worship is ideally a nitya practice—steady, devotional service to Saguna Shiva—performed without bargaining for immediate rewards; the verse frames such regular worship as a time-tested purifier that matures the soul toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain nitya Shiva-upāsanā—daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple Linga-pūjā—while observing periodic vows (fortnightly/monthly/yearly) as naimittika disciplines, prioritizing purity and consistency over desire-based ritualism.