Shloka 54

गोत्र-प्रवर-प्रश्नः तथा तिथ्यादि-कीर्तनं

Gotra–Pravara Inquiry and Proclamation of Auspicious Time

Devanagari script

अथ शैलवरो माध्यंदिनोक्तस्तोत्रतो मुदा । तुष्टाव परमेशानं सद्गिरा सुकृताञ्जलिः

Transliteration

atha śailavaro mādhyaṃdinoktastotrato mudā | tuṣṭāva parameśānaṃ sadgirā sukṛtāñjaliḥ

Translation

Dann pries der edle Herr des Berges, voll Freude, Parameśāna (den Herrn Śiva) mit dem für die Mittagszeit vorgeschriebenen Hymnus; mit wahrhaftigen, guten Worten und mit korrekt zum Añjali gefalteten Händen brachte er seine Verehrung dar.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha/Anukrama (सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequencing particle)

• शैलवरः: the best of mountains (Himālaya)
• शैलवरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śailavara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative, 1st), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारय: शैलः एव वरः

• माध्यंदिनोक्तस्तोत्रतः: from/through the midday-spoken hymn
• माध्यंदिनोक्तस्तोत्रतः: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mādhyaṃdina (माध्यंदिन-प्रातिपदिक) + ukta (उक्त-प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + stotra (स्तोत्र-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन (ablative singular) रूपेण अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; तद्धित/समाससमूहः: माध्यंदिन-उक्त-स्तोत्र-तः = ‘माध्यंदिने उक्तात् स्तोत्रात्/स्तोत्रेण हेतोः’ (from/through the hymn spoken at midday)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mudā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (singular)

• तुष्टाव: praised
• तुष्टाव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (स्तु-धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• परमेशानम्: the Supreme Lord
• परमेशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• सद्गिरा: with good speech/words
• सद्गिरा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (सत्-प्रातिपदिक) + gir (गिर्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुष: सत्-गिरा = शुभया वाचा

• सुकृताञ्जलिः: (he) with well-folded hands
• सुकृताञ्जलिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (सु-प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृत-प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त) + añjali (अञ्जलि-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (nominative, 1st), एकवचन (singular); कर्मधारय: सुकृतः अञ्जलिः यस्य (well-made folded hands)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parameshana
• Himalaya

FAQs

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

It highlights disciplined bhakti: praising Śiva at the proper time (midday) with satya (truthful speech) and śraddhā (reverent posture). In Shaiva Siddhānta, such ordered worship purifies the paśu (individual soul) and turns it toward Pati (Śiva) through devotion and right conduct.

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

A prescribed stotra and añjali indicate saguna-upāsanā—approaching Śiva with form, names, hymns, and ritual timing. This supports Linga worship as a concrete focus for devotion, through which the devotee gradually realizes Śiva’s supreme, transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform midday Shiva worship with a stotra, joined palms (añjali), and sincere speech; accompany it with japa such as the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and, where traditional, apply bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and use rudrākṣa for steady remembrance.