Shloka 90

गजाननपूजा तथा औपासन-होमविधिः

Worship of Gajānana and the Procedure of Aupāsana-Homa

Devanagari script

तदाज्ञया ततः शिष्यो वेदान्तार्थानुसारतः । शिवज्ञानपरो भूयात्सगुणागुणभेदतः

Transliteration

tadājñayā tataḥ śiṣyo vedāntārthānusārataḥ | śivajñānaparo bhūyātsaguṇāguṇabhedataḥ

Translation

Dann soll der Schüler auf seinen (des Guru) Befehl hin—dem Sinn der Vedānta folgend—sich ganz dem Wissen um Śiva hingeben und Śiva recht unterscheiden als mit Eigenschaften (saguṇa) und als jenseits aller Eigenschaften (nirguṇa).

Word by Word

• तत्: by that
• तत्: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun used adjectivally with आज्ञया

• आज्ञया: by (the) command
• आज्ञया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence

• शिष्यः: the disciple
• शिष्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• वेदान्तार्थ: of the meaning of Vedānta
• वेदान्तार्थ: Hetu (हेतु/Cause-basis)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedānta + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) ‘वेदान्तस्य अर्थः’; Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन) as part of -अनुसारतः

• अनुसारतः: according to
• अनुसारतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/According to)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anusāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय) formed with -tas (तस्) from noun; adverb meaning ‘according to’

• शिवज्ञानपरः: devoted to knowledge of Śiva
• शिवज्ञानपरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva + jñāna + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): तत्पुरुष (determinative) ‘शिवज्ञानं परं यस्य/शिवज्ञानपरः’; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन), predicate adjective of शिष्यः

• भूयात्: may become
• भूयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Verb; Optative/विधिलिङ्, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• सगुण: with attributes (saguṇa)
• सगुण: Hetu (हेतु/Basis)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): कर्मधारय ‘सः गुणः यस्य/गुणयुक्तः’; Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन) as first member in द्वन्द्व-like pair with अगुण (in compound below)

• अगुण: without attributes (nirguṇa)
• अगुण: Hetu (हेतु/Basis)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): कर्मधारय ‘गुणरहितः’; Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन) as paired member

• भेदतः: by distinction / in terms of difference
• भेदतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Respect)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय) with -tas (तस्) from noun; adverb ‘by distinction/according to difference’; governs sense ‘in terms of’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s higher teaching as preserved in the Kailasa Samhita)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Reorients the seeker from external observance to Vedānta-aligned Śiva-jñāna: realizing Śiva as both immanent (saguṇa) and transcendent (nirguṇa) is the inner ‘darśana’.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Guru
• Disciple

FAQs

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

It instructs that true discipleship culminates in Śiva-jñāna: understanding Śiva in both manifest (saguṇa) and transcendent (nirguṇa) dimensions, aligned with Vedānta’s intended meaning, leading toward liberation.

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

Saguṇa understanding supports devotional worship such as Liṅga-upāsanā (worship of the iconic form), while nirguṇa discernment prevents limiting Śiva to form alone—integrating ritual devotion with inner realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is guru-guided japa of Śiva-mantra (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) alongside contemplation that the worshipped Śiva is both the accessible Lord (saguṇa) and the supreme, attribute-transcending Reality (nirguṇa).