Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 38

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

कृत्वा हृदि प्रयोगं च ततः पूजां समारभेत् । पाद्यार्घाचमनार्थं च पात्राणि च प्रकल्पयेत्

Transliteration

kṛtvā hṛdi prayogaṃ ca tataḥ pūjāṃ samārabhet | pādyārghācamanārthaṃ ca pātrāṇi ca prakalpayet

Translation

Nachdem man zuerst im Herzen das innere Ritual vollzogen hat (die meditative Setzung der Verehrung), soll man sodann die Pūjā beginnen. Auch sind die Gefäße bereitzustellen für das Wasser zum Füßewaschen (pādya), die ehrerbietige Darbringung (arghya) und das ācamanīya-Wasser zur Reinigung.

Word by Word

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), ‘having done’

• hṛdi: in the heart
• hṛdi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana (singular)

• prayogam: application/ritual act
• prayogam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prayoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात)

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; krama/paścāt adverb

• pūjām: worship
• pūjām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (singular)

• samārabhet: should begin/undertake
• samārabhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + ā + rabh (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (singular)

• pādya-argha-ācamanārtham: for foot-water, offering-water, and sipping-water
• pādya-argha-ācamanārtham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/artha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pādya + argha + ācamanārtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Samāhāra-dvandva (समाहार-द्वन्द्व) functioning adverbially as purpose-expression; ‘for pādya, argha, and ācamana’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात)

• pātrāṇi: vessels/containers
• pātrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā/Dvitīyā vibhakti (1st/2nd), Bahuvacana (plural); here as object

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (समुच्चय-निपात)

• prakalpayet: should arrange/prepare
• prakalpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + kḷp (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (singular)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Śiva-pūjā procedure to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that authentic Śiva-worship begins inwardly—by establishing the Lord in the heart through meditative rite—so that outer offerings become an expression of inner devotion and purity.

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

It frames Liṅga/Saguṇa worship as a twofold act: inner invocation/nyāsa (hṛdi-prayoga) followed by orderly external upacāras like pādya, arghya, and ācamanīya, honoring Śiva as present and receivable in ritual form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform an inner placement/invocation in the heart (hṛdi-prayoga/nyāsa) and then prepare the pūjā vessels for pādya, arghya, and ācamanīya before commencing worship; chanting the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) commonly accompanies this preparation.