Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

प्रथमम्पूजितौ यत्र तत्रैव क्रमशस्सुधीः । गन्धाद्यैरर्चयेत्पूर्वं देवौ हेरंबषण्मुखौ

Transliteration

prathamampūjitau yatra tatraiva kramaśassudhīḥ | gandhādyairarcayetpūrvaṃ devau heraṃbaṣaṇmukhau

Translation

Wo immer zuerst verehrt werden soll, dort eben soll der Weise in rechter Ordnung zunächst Sandelpaste und dergleichen darbringen und zuerst die beiden Götter ehren: Heramba (Gaṇeśa) und Ṣaṇmukha (Kārttikeya).

Word by Word

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण)

• पूजितौ: (the) two worshipped
• पूजितौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पूज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (correlative adverb)

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

• क्रमशः: in sequence
• क्रमशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रमशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• सुधीः: the wise person
• सुधीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• गन्ध: with fragrances
• गन्ध: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• आद्यैः: and the like
• आद्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; 'etc.' as qualifier

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: first/previously
• पूर्वम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् (adverb)

• देवौ: the two gods
• देवौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), द्विवचन

• हेरम्ब: Heramba (Gaṇeśa)
• हेरम्ब: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेरम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in dvandva)

• षण्मुखौ: Ṣaṇmukha (Skanda)
• षण्मुखौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः: हेरम्ब-षण्मुखौ = 'Heramba and Ṣaṇmukha'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed order of worship to the sages, typical of Purāṇic instruction in the Kailāsa-saṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

It teaches niyama (disciplined order) in worship: the devotee begins by honoring Gaṇeśa (remover of obstacles) and Kārttikeya (divine strength and right action), preparing the mind and ritual space for a faultless approach to Shiva, the supreme Pati.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship—especially in linga-pūjā—preliminary veneration of attendant deities is a traditional Shaiva protocol, ensuring the rite proceeds without impediments and aligning the devotee’s faculties before focusing on Shiva as the highest object of worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests a practical pūjā-krama: first offer gandha (sandalpaste/fragrance) and related upacāras to Gaṇeśa and Kārttikeya, then proceed to the main Shiva worship; inwardly, begin with obstacle-clearing intention and steady resolve before mantra-japa (such as the Panchākṣarī, Om Namaḥ Śivāya).