Shloka 9

अग्नियज्ञ-देवयज्ञ-ब्रह्मयज्ञ-गुरुपूजा-क्रमनिरूपणम् / Ordering and Definitions of Agniyajña, Devayajña, Brahmayajña, and Guru-Pūjā

Devanagari script

देवयज्ञं हि तं विद्यात्स्थालीपाकादिकान्क्रतून् । चौलादिकं तथा ज्ञेयं लौकिकाग्नौ प्रतिष्ठितम्

Transliteration

devayajñaṃ hi taṃ vidyātsthālīpākādikānkratūn | caulādikaṃ tathā jñeyaṃ laukikāgnau pratiṣṭhitam

Translation

স্থালীপাক প্রভৃতি ক্রতুগুলিকে ‘দেবযজ্ঞ’ বলে জানো। আর চূড়াকর্ম (চৌল) প্রভৃতি সংস্কারকে লৌকিক কর্ম বলে বুঝতে হবে—যা গৃহ্য/লৌকিক অগ্নিতে প্রতিষ্ঠিত।

Word by Word

• deva-yajñam: the deva-sacrifice
• deva-yajñam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—देवानां यज्ञः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निश्चय/हेतु) ‘indeed’

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vidyāt: should know/should understand
• vidyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• sthālīpāka-ādikān: beginning with the sthālīpāka rite
• sthālīpāka-ādikān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthālīpāka (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—स्थालीपाकः आदिः येषां ते (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे ‘-ādika’), but form as तत्पुरुष ‘sthālīpāka-ādi’

• kratūn: sacrificial rites
• kratūn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kratu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• caula-ādikam: (rites) such as the tonsure ceremony
• caula-ādikam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caula (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—चौलम् आदिः यस्य तत् (समूह/प्रकारवाचक ‘-ādika’)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय) ‘likewise’

• jñeyam: should be known
• jñeyam: Pradhāna-vākya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñeya (प्रातिपदिक; √jñā धातु + यत्)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); gerundive (यत्) used predicatively

• laukika-agnau: in the ordinary (worldly) fire
• laukika-agnau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laukika (प्रातिपदिक) + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मधारयः—लौकिकः अग्निः

• pratiṣṭhitam: established/placed
• pratiṣṭhitam: Pradhāna-vākya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati-√sthā (धातु) + kta → pratiṣṭhita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (कर्मणि क्त)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

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

It clarifies the category of ritual actions: offerings to devas (deva-yajña) and household sacraments like caula are performed through the domestic fire, indicating the structured path of dharma that supports purification before higher Shaiva realization.

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

By distinguishing fire-based Vedic and gṛhya rites as “laukika,” the text implicitly prepares the seeker to recognize Linga worship as a specifically Shaiva mode of devotion that can transcend mere worldly ritualism and orient the mind toward Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to performing prescribed deva-yajñas and life-cycle rites properly in the domestic fire; for a Shaiva practitioner, these can be complemented with steady Linga-puja and japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the inner offering.