Shloka 38

पार्थिवप्रतिमापूजाविधानम्

Pārthiva-pratimā Pūjā-vidhāna — Procedure for Worship of an Earthen Icon

Devanagari script

द्वादश्यां द्वादशान्विप्रान्विष्णोर्द्वादशनामतः । षोडशैरुपचारैश्च यजेत्तत्प्रीतिमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

dvādaśyāṃ dvādaśānviprānviṣṇordvādaśanāmataḥ | ṣoḍaśairupacāraiśca yajettatprītimāpnuyāt

Translation

Am Dvādaśī-Tag soll man zwölf gelehrte Brāhmaṇas verehren, die zwölf Namen Viṣṇus anrufen und sie mit den sechzehn traditionellen upacāras ehren; dadurch erlangt man die Gnade und Zufriedenheit jener Gottheit.

Word by Word

• द्वादश्याम्: on Dvādaśī
• द्वादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; कालाधिकरणम्

• द्वादश: twelve
• द्वादश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषणम्; ‘विप्रान्’ इति विशेषयति (twelve)

• विप्रान्: brāhmaṇas
• विप्रान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• द्वादश-नामतः: by (using/reciting) the twelve names
• द्वादश-नामतः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्वादश (संख्या) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त), ‘नामतः’ = नाम्ना/नामभिः प्रकारेण; ‘द्वादश-नामतः’ = by (reciting) the twelve names

• षोडशैः: with sixteen
• षोडशैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; ‘उपचारैः’ इति विशेषयति (with sixteen)

• उपचारैः: services/offerings
• उपचारैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करणम् (instrument)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• यजेत्: should worship
• यजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘should worship/sacrifice’

• तत्-प्रीतिम्: that pleasure/satisfaction
• तत्-प्रीतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘that satisfaction/pleasure (of Viṣṇu)’

• आप्नुयात्: may attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘may attain’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī’s dharma-culture includes feeding/honoring brāhmaṇas as a primary conduit of punya; the verse maps Dvādaśī observance to a structured rite (twelve brāhmaṇas, twelve names, sixteen upacāras), typical of kṣetra-based ritual manuals circulating around Viśveśvara.

Significance: Promotes dāna/atithi-satkara integrated with devatā-nāma; yields ‘prīti’ (divine satisfaction), a Purāṇic idiom for grace-bearing merit.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Implied) Viṣṇoḥ dvādaśa-nāmāni (twelve names of Viṣṇu)

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahmanas

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere devotion is expressed through disciplined observance (Dvādaśī), mantra-based remembrance (twelve names), and reverent service (honoring the worthy), which purifies the seeker and draws divine grace.

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

In a Shaiva Siddhānta reading, honoring Viṣṇu and the devout brāhmaṇas supports dharma and devotion, which in turn steadies the mind for Saguna worship of Śiva—often culminating in Linga-pūjā as the primary Shaiva practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Dvādaśī observance by respectfully honoring twelve qualified brāhmaṇas with the ṣoḍaśopacāra (sixteen offerings) while reciting the twelve names of Viṣṇu, cultivating humility and devotion as a preparatory discipline.