Shloka 17

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

गजाननम्प्रभुं सर्वविघ्नौघघ्नमुपासितुः । एवन्ध्यात्वा यजेद्गन्धपुष्पाद्यैरुपचारकैः

Transliteration

gajānanamprabhuṃ sarvavighnaughaghnamupāsituḥ | evandhyātvā yajedgandhapuṣpādyairupacārakaiḥ

Translation

Man soll sich dem Herrn Gajānana zuwenden und ihn verehren, den Gebieter, der die Menge aller Hindernisse vernichtet. Nachdem man so über ihn meditiert hat, vollziehe man die Pūjā mit Düften, Blumen und weiteren rituellen Diensten.

Word by Word

• गजाननम्: Gajānan(a) (elephant-faced one)
• गजाननम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज-आनन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: gaja (elephant) + ānana (face)

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; in apposition to गजाननम्

• सर्वविघ्नौघघ्नम्: destroyer of all heaps of obstacles
• सर्वविघ्नौघघ्नम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-विघ्न-ओघ-घ्न (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: sarva + vighna + ogha + ghna ('destroyer of all masses of obstacles')

• उपासितुः: they two worshipped/attended
• उपासितुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+आस् (धातु)
• Form: Verb; Dhātu: आस् (to sit) with prefix उप (to worship/attend); Lakāra: लिट् (perfect), Parasmaipada; 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Dual (द्विवचन)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), from ध्यै 'to meditate'; indicates prior action

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: Verb; Dhātu: यज् (to worship/sacrifice); Lakāra: विधिलिङ् (optative), Parasmaipada; 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• गन्धपुष्पाद्यैः: with scents, flowers, etc.
• गन्धपुष्पाद्यैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध-पुष्प-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; dvandva/collective list: gandha + puṣpa + ādi ('fragrance, flowers, etc.')

• उपचारकैः: with offerings/services
• उपचारकैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; means 'services/offerings'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General: vighna-nivṛtti as pūrvāṅga to Śiva-pūjā and tīrtha-yātrā; worship of Gaṇeśa is framed as ensuring unobstructed completion of vrata and darśana.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that spiritual practice should begin by invoking Gaṇeśa, the remover of impediments, so that worship proceeds without inner and outer obstacles—restlessness, doubt, and ritual hindrances—supporting steady bhakti aligned with Shaiva dharma.

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

In Shaiva practice, Gaṇeśa is honored at the commencement of rites so the devotee can approach Saguna Shiva (including Liṅga worship) with an unobstructed mind and properly completed upacāras; it is a preparatory purification that supports successful Shiva-pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Gaṇeśa as ‘sarva-vighnaugha-ghna’ and then offer upacāras—especially gandha (fragrance/sandal) and puṣpa (flowers)—as the opening act before the main worship; this is the practical takeaway for pūjā sequencing.