Shloka 1

आवरणपूजावर्णनम् (Āvaraṇa-pūjā-varṇanam) — Description of Enclosure/Layered Worship

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । अत्रास्ति च महादेवि खल्वावरणपंचकम् । पंचावरणपूजान्तु प्रारभेत यथाक्रमम्

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | atrāsti ca mahādevi khalvāvaraṇapaṃcakam | paṃcāvaraṇapūjāntu prārabheta yathākramam

Translation

Īśvara sprach: „Hier, o Mahādevī, gibt es wahrlich die fünffache Anordnung der Āvaraṇas (Umschließungen). Darum soll man die Verehrung der fünf Āvaraṇas in rechter Reihenfolge beginnen.“

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: Īśvara (Lord Śiva)
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महादेवि: O great goddess
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: महा + देवी

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• आवरण: of coverings/enclosures
• आवरण: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• पञ्चकम्: a set of five
• पञ्चकम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: आवरण-पञ्चकम् = 'a set of five enclosures'

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; समासपूर्वपद

• आवरण: enclosure
• आवरण: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद

• पूजाम्: worship
• पूजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: पञ्च-आवरण-पूजाम् = 'worship of the five enclosures'

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• प्रारभेत: should begin
• प्रारभेत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + रभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner)

• क्रमम्: in order
• क्रमम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः: यथा-क्रमम् = 'in due order' (adverbial)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (Īśvara)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that approach to Shiva should be orderly and reverent: worship proceeds through a structured fivefold āvaraṇa, reflecting disciplined bhakti that purifies the practitioner and aligns the mind toward Pati (Shiva).

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

The verse points to a formal method of Saguna worship—honoring Shiva through a layered ritual arrangement (āvaraṇas) around the Linga or the worship-field—so devotion becomes complete, encompassing the whole sacred space in sequence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin pañcāvaraṇa-pūjā step-by-step (yathākramam): worship the sacred ‘enclosures’ in order, maintaining mantra-japa and focused attention; this pairs naturally with Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and traditional Shaiva upachāras.