Shloka 68

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

ततश्च ब्रह्मभोजस्य संकल्पं च सदक्षिणम् । उत्सवं पूर्ववत्कुर्या द्यावद्यामावधिर्भवेत्

Transliteration

tataśca brahmabhojasya saṃkalpaṃ ca sadakṣiṇam | utsavaṃ pūrvavatkuryā dyāvadyāmāvadhirbhavet

Translation

Daraufhin soll man den Saṅkalpa (feierlichen Entschluss) für das Brahmanenmahl fassen und es samt der gebührenden Dakṣiṇā darbringen. Dann führe man das Fest wie zuvor durch und setze es fort, bis die festgesetzte Dauer der Yāmas (rituellen Wachen) vollendet ist.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: क्रम (Sequencing/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (from that/thereafter)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ब्रह्मभोजस्य: of the brahma-feast (feeding of Brahmins)
• ब्रह्मभोजस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘ब्रह्मणां भोजः’/‘ब्रह्मार्थं भोजः’ (feeding of Brahmins)

• संकल्पम्: vow/resolve (saṅkalpa)
• संकल्पम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सदक्षिणम्: together with a fee/donation
• सदक्षिणम्: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘दक्षिणया सह’ (with dakṣiṇā) qualifying संकल्पम्

• उत्सवम्: festival/celebration
• उत्सवम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: प्रकार (Manner adjunct/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: as before)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विध्यर्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्यावत्: as long as
• द्यावत्: अवधि (Limit/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/अवधि-वाचक अव्यय (as long as)

• यामावधिः: the yāma-duration limit
• यामावधिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम + अवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘यामस्य अवधिः’ (limit measured by a yāma)

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: विधेय (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विध्यर्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Brahmin-feeding with saṅkalpa and dakṣiṇā is framed as dharmic support to Śiva-pūjā, converting wealth/action into merit and purification—loosening pāśa (bondage) and inviting anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Annapūrṇā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that Shiva-worship is completed not only by devotion but also by disciplined observance—making a saṅkalpa (sacred resolve), offering dakṣiṇā, and concluding the utsava within the prescribed ritual time—so that the act becomes a purified offering to Pati (Shiva) rather than mere celebration.

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

In Jyotirliṅga-centered practice, the festival (utsava) and its supporting rites—especially brahmabhoja and dakṣiṇā—are treated as limbs (aṅgas) of Saguna Shiva worship, honoring Shiva’s manifest presence through correct ritual completion and reverent giving.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse directly prescribes saṅkalpa, brahmabhoja (feeding Brahmins), and dakṣiṇā, and indicates that the utsava should be maintained through the allotted yāmas; as a practical takeaway, one should keep the worship timed, orderly, and concluded with sanctified charity.