Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 31

पूजाविधिः

Pūjā-vidhiḥ) — The Supreme Procedure of Worship (Morning Observances

Devanagari script

द्वारपालं सदा द्वारि तिष्ठंतं च महोदरम् । पूजयित्वा ततः पश्चात्पूजयेद्गिरिजां सतीम्

Transliteration

dvārapālaṃ sadā dvāri tiṣṭhaṃtaṃ ca mahodaram | pūjayitvā tataḥ paścātpūjayedgirijāṃ satīm

Translation

Zuerst soll man Mahodara verehren, den stets wachsamen Torhüter, der am Eingang steht. Danach soll man Satī, Girijā (die Tochter des Berges), mit gebührender Ehrfurcht verehren.

Word by Word

• द्वारपालम्: the door-guardian
• द्वारपालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time/frequency)

• द्वारि: at the door
• द्वारि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तिष्ठन्तम्: standing
• तिष्ठन्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘द्वारपालम्’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• महोदरम्: big-bellied (Mahodara)
• महोदरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘द्वारपालम्’

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), from √पूज्

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, sequence-marker (अनन्तरार्थक)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, temporal adverb (अनन्तरकालवाचक)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गिरिजाम्: Girijā (daughter of the mountain)
• गिरिजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि + जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सतीम्: Satī
• सतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; appositional to ‘गिरिजाम्’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Sati
• Parvati
• Mahodara

FAQs

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

It teaches devotional discipline: honoring the threshold guardian before approaching the Goddess symbolizes removing obstacles, cultivating humility, and entering worship with purified intent—an essential Shaiva ethic of proper approach (ācāra) to the Divine.

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

In Saguna worship, order and reverence matter: one respects attendants and guardians connected to the deity’s abode before direct worship, reflecting the Shiva Purana’s temple-centered bhakti culture where Shiva’s divine circle (parivāra) is honored as part of approaching Pati (the Lord).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Follow pūjā-krama (sequence): offer salutations/flowers/incense at the doorway to the guardian first, then worship the Goddess; while entering, keep a devotional focus such as japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to steady the mind and remove inner obstacles.