Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

गणेशाभिषेक-वरदान-विधानम् | Gaṇeśa’s Consecration, Boons, and Prescribed Worship

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्नपूजिते देवाः परपूजाकृता यदि । तदा तत्फलहानिः स्यान्नात्र कार्या विचारणा

Transliteration

asminnapūjite devāḥ parapūjākṛtā yadi | tadā tatphalahāniḥ syānnātra kāryā vicāraṇā

Translation

Wenn, solange diese Gottheit unverehrt bleibt, die Verehrung anderer Gottheiten vollzogen wird, dann wird die Frucht jener Verehrung gemindert—daran besteht kein Zweifel und es bedarf keiner weiteren Erwägung.

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this (case/rite)
• अस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुं/नपुंसक (Masculine/Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपූजिते: when (it is) not worshipped
• अपූजिते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + pūjita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative, 7th), एकवचन (Singular); नञ्-प्रत्यय (negation)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• परपूजाकृताः: having performed worship of another (deity)
• परपूजाकृताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त) ‘कृत’; पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): ‘परस्य पूजां कृताः’ = having done worship of another

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (then)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण (pronominal adjective), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular); समासे पूर्वपदत्वेन (as first member in compound)

• फलहानिः: loss of the fruit (result)
• फलहानिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + hāni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘फलस्य हानिः’

• स्यात्: would occur / would be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• अत्र: here / in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: here/in this matter)

• कार्या: to be done / necessary
• कार्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: to be done), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular); ‘विचारणा’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विचारणा: consideration / deliberation
• विचारणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vicāraṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes the Śaiva purāṇic principle of hierarchy/priority in worship: neglect of the principal deity (here, Śiva as the supreme Pati) while pursuing subsidiary devatā-upāsanā yields diminished phala; encourages proper orientation of devotion toward the Lord who grants anugraha.

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

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

It teaches that neglecting one’s principal deity—here understood in the Shaiva frame as Lord Shiva, the Pati—while diverting devotion elsewhere weakens the spiritual efficacy (phala) of worship; steadiness and right priority in bhakti preserve merit and inner transformation.

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

In Shaiva Siddhanta practice, Linga/Saguna Shiva-puja is treated as foundational; when Shiva-puja is omitted yet other devata-puja is pursued, the act lacks completeness, so its fruit is said to decline compared to worship that begins with honoring Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin daily worship with Shiva—Linga-archana or mental puja—supported by Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and, where customary, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa, before extending offerings to other deities.