Shloka 6

अग्नियज्ञ-देवयज्ञ-ब्रह्मयज्ञ-गुरुपूजा-क्रमनिरूपणम् / Ordering and Definitions of Agniyajña, Devayajña, Brahmayajña, and Guru-Pūjā

Devanagari script

अग्निमात्मन्यरण्यां वा राजदैववशाद्ध्रुवम् । अग्नित्यागभयादुक्तं समारोपितमुच्यते

Transliteration

agnimātmanyaraṇyāṃ vā rājadaivavaśāddhruvam | agnityāgabhayāduktaṃ samāropitamucyate

Translation

Wenn man unter dem zwingenden Einfluss eines königlichen Erlasses oder des Schicksals davon spricht, das Feuer entweder auf sich selbst oder in einem Wald „niederzulegen“ – so wird diese Aussage, die aus Angst vor dem Verlassen des heiligen Feuers gemacht wird, als eine überlagerte (figurative) Zuschreibung bezeichnet.

Word by Word

• agnim: fire
• agnim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ātmani: in oneself/at home
• ātmani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• araṇyām: in the forest
• araṇyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (विकल्पार्थक) ‘or’

• rāja-daiva-vaśāt: due to the compulsion of the king or fate
• rāja-daiva-vaśāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + daiva (प्रातिपदिक) + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—राजस्य दैवस्य च वशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; ‘under the control of king/fate’)

• dhruvam: certainly
• dhruvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial use (निश्चयार्थक अव्ययप्राय) ‘certainly’

• agni-tyāga-bhayāt: from fear of abandoning the fire
• agni-tyāga-bhayāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक) + tyāga (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—अग्नेः त्यागस्य भयम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• uktam: is said
• uktam: Pradhāna-vākya (विधेय/प्रवचन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ukta (प्रातिपदिक; √vac धातु + क्त)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle used predicatively

• samāropitam: (it) is called ‘transferred/relocated’
• samāropitam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sam-ā-ropita (प्रातिपदिक; √ruh/rop? causative √rop/√ruh with prefixes sam+ā + क्त)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle used as substantive (‘that which is transferred/placed’)

• ucyate: is called/said
• ucyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

FAQs

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

It teaches discernment in scripture: some statements are ‘samāropa’—spoken due to fear, compulsion, or practical necessity—so the seeker should grasp the intended dharma without taking every expression as literal metaphysics, while remaining devoted to Shiva as Pati (the Lord).

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

Linga-worship emphasizes right intention and steady devotion; this verse supports interpreting ritual language skillfully so that external duties do not eclipse the inner orientation to Saguna Shiva (worshipful form) and the higher aim of liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain steadiness in daily worship despite obstacles: keep a disciplined routine of Shiva-puja with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and cultivate inner ‘agni’ as focused awareness, rather than abandoning practice out of fear or pressure.