Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 40

गणेशाभिषेक-वरदान-विधानम् | Gaṇeśa’s Consecration, Boons, and Prescribed Worship

Devanagari script

मार्गशीर्षे तथा मासे रमा या वै चतुर्थिका । प्रातःस्नानं तदा कृत्वा व्रतं विप्रान्निवेदयेत

Transliteration

mārgaśīrṣe tathā māse ramā yā vai caturthikā | prātaḥsnānaṃ tadā kṛtvā vrataṃ viprānnivedayeta

Translation

মার্গশীর্ষ মাসে রমা-নামক যে চতুর্থী, সেই দিনে প্রাতে স্নান করে ব্রাহ্মণদের নিকট ব্রত নিবেদন করা উচিত।

Word by Word

• मार्गशीर्षे: in (the month of) Mārgaśīrṣa
• मार्गशीर्षे: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; मास-नाम (in Mārgaśīrṣa)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/रीतिवाचक अव्यय (also/likewise)

• मासे: in the month
• मासे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• रमा: Ramā (Lakṣmī)
• रमा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• या: who/which
• या: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Relative connector)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nishchaya (निश्चय/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• चतुर्थिका: the fourth lunar day (caturthikā)
• चतुर्थिका: Apposition (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्थिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• प्रातः-स्नानम्: morning bath
• प्रातः-स्नानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रातः (अव्यय) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रातःकाले स्नानम्)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): “having done”

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• विप्रान्: to the brāhmaṇas
• विप्रान्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• निवेदयेत्: should offer/present
• निवेदयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वेद्/विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative sense in usage “should offer/present”

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the vrata-vidhi to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights vrata-sanskāra logic: purification (snāna) and legitimization through vipra-sannidhi/dāna make the observance ‘fruit-bearing’ for Śiva’s favor.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that a Śaiva vow becomes spiritually effective when grounded in purification (dawn bath) and consecrated through respectful offering to the learned, aligning personal discipline with dharma and devotion to Pati (Śiva).

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

The verse gives preparatory discipline for Saguna worship—purity, timing (tithi), and proper religious offering—so that Linga-pūjā and vrata-sankalpa are performed in a sanctified, tradition-aligned manner.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform an early morning bath on Ramā Caturthī in Mārgaśīrṣa, then formally undertake the vrata and offer its due to brāhmaṇas; this supports a Śaiva routine that can be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) during the observance.