Shloka 68

पार्थिवप्रतिमापूजाविधानम्

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

Devanagari script

आमध्याह्नजपेद्विप्रो गायत्रीं वेदमातरम् । पंचाक्षरादिकान्मंत्रान्पश्चादासप्तिकं जपेत्

Transliteration

āmadhyāhnajapedvipro gāyatrīṃ vedamātaram | paṃcākṣarādikānmaṃtrānpaścādāsaptikaṃ japet

Translation

Zur Mittagszeit soll der Zweimalgeborene (Brahmane) die Gāyatrī, die Mutter der Veden, im Japa wiederholen. Danach soll er die Mantras sprechen, beginnend mit der Pañcākṣarī—„Om Namaḥ Śivāya“, und sein Japa bis zur siebten Reihe gemäß der Vorschrift fortsetzen.

Word by Word

• ā-madhyāhna: at/around midday; up to midday
• ā-madhyāhna: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā + madhyāhna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; prepositional adverb (उपसर्ग-प्रयोग) meaning 'up to/at' + time-word; used adverbially

• japet: should recite/mutter
• japet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (जप्)
• Form: Optative/benedictive (विधिलिङ्); Parasmaipada; 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष); Singular

• vipraḥ: a brāhmaṇa
• vipraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा); Singular

• gāyatrīm: the Gāyatrī (mantra)
• gāyatrīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया); Singular

• veda-mātaram: the mother of the Vedas
• veda-mātaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda + mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया); Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (वेदानां माता) used as apposition to gāyatrīm

• paṃca-akṣara-ādikān: (mantras) beginning with the five-syllabled (one)
• paṃca-akṣara-ādikān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paṃca + akṣara + ādika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया); Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष-समास; qualifies mantrān

• mantrān: mantras
• mantrān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine; Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया); Plural

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kāla (काल/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning 'afterwards'

• ā-saptikam: up to seven (times); as a set of seven
• ā-saptikam: Parimāṇa (परिमाण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā + saptika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; prepositional adverb 'up to' (आ) + numeral-derivative saptika; used adverbially meaning 'up to seven times/for a set of seven'

• japet: should recite
• japet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (जप्)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्); Parasmaipada; 3rd person; Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: The verse integrates Vedic orthopraxy (Gāyatrī-japa) with Śaiva upāsanā (Pañcākṣarī and allied mantras), presenting a harmonized daily discipline that purifies and orients the soul toward Śiva’s grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It establishes a disciplined daily rhythm of sacred sound: beginning with Vedic purity (Gāyatrī) and culminating in Śaiva liberation-oriented japa, especially the Pañcākṣarī, which directs the mind toward Pati (Śiva) and loosens the bonds of pāśa through steady remembrance.

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

The Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) is central to Saguna Śiva worship and is commonly performed alongside Liṅga-pūjā; the verse implies that after Vedic recitation one should engage in Śiva-mantra japa, supporting devotional focus on the Liṅga as Śiva’s gracious, worshipful form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Midday japa of Gāyatrī followed by Śiva-mantra japa—especially the five-syllable mantra—performed as a counted repetition (mālā-japa) according to one’s prescribed series/measure.