Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 15

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याश्शूद्राश्च विधिवत्क्रमात् । शंकरार्चां प्रकुर्वंतु सर्वकामार्थसिद्धये

Transliteration

brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā vaiśyāśśūdrāśca vidhivatkramāt | śaṃkarārcāṃ prakurvaṃtu sarvakāmārthasiddhaye

Translation

Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas und Śūdras—jeder in seiner rechten Ordnung und gemäß der rechten Vorschrift—sollen Śaṅkara verehren, damit jedes würdige Verlangen und Ziel erfüllt werde.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• क्षत्रियाः: Kshatriyas
• क्षत्रियाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वैश्याः: Vaishyas
• वैश्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शूद्राः: Shudras
• शूद्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विधिवत्: according to rule/ritually
• विधिवत्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• क्रमात्: in order, successively
• क्रमात्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन (Singular); अव्ययीभावार्थे—"क्रमात्" = in due order/stepwise

• शंकर-अर्चाम्: worship of Shankara
• शंकर-अर्चाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa): शंकरस्य अर्चा

• प्रकुर्वन्तु: let them perform
• प्रकुर्वन्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्व-काम-अर्थ-सिद्धये: for the attainment of all desired aims
• सर्व-काम-अर्थ-सिद्धये: Sampradana/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): सर्वेषां कामानाम् अर्थानां च सिद्धिः

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya within the Rudrasaṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Universalizes eligibility for Śaṅkara-arcā across varṇas (as stated), emphasizing that disciplined worship is a means to both worldly siddhi and eventual purification toward grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse affirms that Śaṅkara’s worship is universally accessible and spiritually effective. Per Shaiva Siddhānta, disciplined worship (vidhivat) purifies karma and bonds (pāśa), aligns one’s aims with dharma, and prepares the soul for Shiva’s anugraha (grace), which is the true cause of liberation.

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

“Śaṅkara-arcā” points to formal, embodied worship of Saguna Shiva—commonly through the Śiva-liṅga with offerings, mantra, and reverence. Such arcā trains devotion and inner concentration, making the mind fit to recognize Shiva beyond form (Nirguna) while honoring His compassionate manifest form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests vidhivat Shiva-puja: daily or festival worship of Śiva (often the liṅga) with clean conduct, proper sequence of offerings, and mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”). If practiced, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa may be adopted as supportive Shaiva disciplines.