Shloka 5

भोजन-आह्वान-प्रकरणम् — The Episode of Invitation and the Divine Feast

Devanagari script

गिरिः प्रभुं च सर्वांस्तान्सुसत्कृत्य यथाविधि । मुदोपवेशयामास सत्पीठेषु गृहान्तरे

Transliteration

giriḥ prabhuṃ ca sarvāṃstānsusatkṛtya yathāvidhi | mudopaveśayāmāsa satpīṭheṣu gṛhāntare

Translation

Daraufhin ehrte Girirāja (Himālaya) den Herrn und alle Anwesenden nach der rechten Vorschrift und setzte sie voller Freude auf edle Sitze in den inneren Gemächern des Palastes.

Word by Word

• गिरिः: the mountain (Himālaya)
• गिरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रभुम्: the Lord
• प्रभुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सु: well
• सु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-उपपद (intensifier ‘well’)

• सत्कृत्य: having duly honored
• सत्कृत्य: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सत्-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive) ‘having honored/received’; उपपद-समासभाव (सत्कृत्य)

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (as/according to)

• विधि: the prescribed rite
• विधि: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (अव्ययीभावे/उपपद-योगे), एकवचन; ‘rule/rite’

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Hetu/Karana (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• उपवेशयामास: seated (made them sit)
• उपवेशयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√विश् (धातु)
• Form: णिच् (Causative) + लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘caused to sit’

• सत्पीठेषु: on good seats
• सत्पीठेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्-पीठ (प्रातिपदिक; सत् + पीठ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सत् पीठम् = उत्तमं पीठम्)

• गृहान्तरे: inside the house
• गृहान्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह-अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक; गृह + अन्तर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गृहस्य अन्तरम्)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Himalaya (Giriraja)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights dhārmic hospitality (atithi-satkāra) offered to Śiva: reverent reception and humble service become an outward form of bhakti, aligning the devotee’s home and heart with auspiciousness and grace.

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

Though the scene is personal and narrative, it reflects Saguna devotion—treating Śiva as the living Lord present before the devotee. The same reverence shown to Śiva in person is extended in practice to the Liṅga through āsana, upacāras, and respectful pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is seva with proper vidhi: welcome the deity with purity and respect—offer āsana and upacāras in Liṅga-pūjā, and internally cultivate joyful humility while repeating the Panchākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”