Shloka 56

मङ्गलपत्रिकाग्रहणम् — Reception of the Auspicious Marriage Invitation

Devanagari script

वेदोक्तविधिना सर्वे वेदवेदांगपारगाः । रक्षां चक्रुर्महेशस्य कृत्वा कौतुकमंगलम्

Transliteration

vedoktavidhinā sarve vedavedāṃgapāragāḥ | rakṣāṃ cakrurmaheśasya kṛtvā kautukamaṃgalam

Translation

All jene Weisen, kundig in den Veden und ihren Hilfswissenschaften, vollzogen nach vedischer Vorschrift das Schutzritual für Mahesha, nachdem sie zuvor die glückverheißenden Handlungen freudiger Segnung vollendet hatten.

Word by Word

• वेदोक्त-विधिना: by the procedure prescribed in the Veda
• वेदोक्त-विधिना: Karana (करण/Instrument; means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषसमास (‘वेदेन उक्तः’ इति वेदोक्तः; ‘वेदोक्तः विधिः’), पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सर्वे: all (of them)
• सर्वे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेष्यवत् (substantive use), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वेद-वेदाङ्ग-पारगाः: those proficient in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• वेद-वेदाङ्ग-पारगाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + वेदाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः; ‘वेदेषु वेदाङ्गेषु च पारगाः’ (skilled in Vedas and Vedāṅgas), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• रक्षाम्: protection/guarding rite
• रक्षाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चक्रुः: they performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• महेशस्य: of Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having done’

• कौतुक-मङ्गलम्: the kautuka-auspicious rite
• कौतुक-मङ्गलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of कृत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक) + मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (appositional: auspicious rite called ‘kautuka’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This is a ritual-orthopraxy verse: Veda-versed sages perform ‘rakṣā’ (protective rite) for Maheśa after ‘kautuka-maṅgala’. The point is not Śiva’s need of protection, but the liturgical convention of invoking auspicious safeguarding around the Lord’s manifest presence and the rite itself.

Significance: Models correct Vedic-Śaiva ritual conduct: auspicious preliminaries (maṅgala) and protective rites (rakṣā) sanctify the space and participants, yielding śānti and removal of obstacles (vighna-nivṛtti).

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Mahesha)

FAQs

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

It highlights that even the most learned Vedic experts approach Shiva with reverent, orderly worship—showing that auspiciousness (maṅgala) and inner devotion support divine protection and spiritual well-being under Pati (Shiva).

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

By describing Vedic-ordained rites offered to Mahesha, it reflects Saguna Shiva worship—where Shiva is honored through prescribed ceremonies (often centered on the Linga) to invoke grace, protection, and auspiciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests performing maṅgala and rakṣā rites in a Vedic manner—practically, this aligns with sanctified worship such as Shiva-pūjā with protective sankalpa, mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara), and concluding auspicious prayers for well-being.