Shloka 14

गिरिराजस्य शिवनिमन्त्रणम् / The Mountain-King Invites Śiva

Hospitality to Śiva and the Devas

Devanagari script

भोजनार्थं प्रभुम्प्रीत्यानयामास यथोचितम् । परिवारसमेतं च सकुतूहलमीश्वरम्

Transliteration

bhojanārthaṃ prabhumprītyānayāmāsa yathocitam | parivārasametaṃ ca sakutūhalamīśvaram

Translation

Um Speise darzubringen, führte sie den Herrn freudig und in gebührender Weise herbei — den höchsten Īśvara, wohlgefällig und voller neugieriger Freude, zusammen mit Seinem Gefolge.

Word by Word

• bhojana-artham: for the purpose of dining
• bhojana-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojana + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समास: भोजनस्य अर्थः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• prabhum: the Lord
• prabhum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• prītyā: with affection
• prītyā: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• anayāmāsa: brought/led (here)
• anayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-nī (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Periphrastic Perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā-ucitam: as appropriate
• yathā-ucitam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yathā + ucita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); avyayībhāva ‘as is proper’ used adverbially

• parivāra-sametām: accompanied by attendants
• parivāra-sametām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parivāra + sameta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); समास: परिवारेण समेतः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• sa-kutūhalam: curious/eager
• sa-kutūhalam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + kutūhala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); उपपद-तत्पुरुष ‘with curiosity’

• īśvaram: the Lord (Śiva)
• īśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the events to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it portrays the Lord as accessible through loving protocol: the Goddess/host leads Īśvara with due etiquette for bhojana—divinity entering the sphere of human hospitality.

Significance: Teaches that bhakti expressed as proper welcoming (yathocitam) and joyful service (prītyā) draws the Lord ‘with His retinue’—a template for temple and household worship alike.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights bhakti expressed as loving service (seva): the devotee approaches Śiva not merely with words, but with proper reverence and heartfelt hospitality, seeing the Lord as present and approachable (saguṇa Īśvara) while still supreme.

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

The verse reflects saguṇa-upāsanā—relating to Śiva as a personal Lord who can be welcomed and served. In Liṅga worship, the same mood is enacted through upacāras like āsana, arghya, and especially naivedya, treating the Liṅga as Śiva’s living presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer naivedya with devotion and due procedure, mentally inviting Śiva (āvāhana-bhāva) and serving Him as Īśvara. As a simple practice, recite the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while offering food and dedicate the act as seva.