Shloka 34

Dāruvana-parīkṣā: Śaṅkara’s Test and the Linga’s Ritual-Theological Grounding

Devanagari script

कुम्भमेकं च संस्थाप्य कृत्वाष्टदलमुत्तमम् । दूर्वायवांकुरैस्तीर्थोदकमापूरयेत्ततः

Transliteration

kumbhamekaṃ ca saṃsthāpya kṛtvāṣṭadalamuttamam | dūrvāyavāṃkuraistīrthodakamāpūrayettataḥ

Translation

Nachdem man einen einzelnen Kumbha (Ritualkrug) aufgestellt und das vortreffliche achtblättrige (Lotus-)Muster angeordnet hat, soll man ihn sodann mit heiligem Wasser aus einem Tīrtha füllen, zusammen mit Dūrvā-Gras und frischen Gerstensprossen.

Word by Word

• कुम्भम्: a pot
• कुम्भम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (कुम्भम्)

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

• संस्थाप्य: having placed/installed
• संस्थाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• अष्ट-दलम्: an eight-petalled (lotus/diagram)
• अष्ट-दलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (a lotus/figure of eight petals)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (अष्टदलम्)

• दूर्वा-यव-अङ्कुरैः: with sprouts of dūrvā-grass and barley
• दूर्वा-यव-अङ्कुरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दूर्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + यव (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (dūrvā ca yavaś ca, teṣām aṅkurāḥ)

• तीर्थ-उदकम्: holy water
• तीर्थ-उदकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (tīrthasya udakam)

• आपूरयेत्: should fill
• आपूरयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-पूृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (sequencing adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Use of tīrtha-water signifies drawing sanctity from sacred geography into the domestic/temple rite; supports purification and eligibility (adhikāra) for Śiva-pūjā.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It prescribes a pure, ordered preparation for Shiva worship—sanctifying the space (aṣṭadala) and the offering (kumbha with tīrtha-water), expressing bhakti through disciplined ritual that supports inner purification.

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

The kumbha and eight-petalled arrangement function as sacred supports (upacāras) for Saguna Shiva worship, preparing the devotee to approach the Linga with consecrated substances and focused reverence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical pūjā-step: establish a kumbha on an eight-petalled design and fill it with tīrtha-water mixed with durvā and barley sprouts—an external act that steadies the mind for mantra-japa and Linga-upāsanā.