Shloka 38

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause

Devanagari script

आवाह्य पूजयेच्छंभुं षोडशैरुपचारकैः । स्वयमैश्वर्यमाप्नोति ज्ञानमभ्यासतो भवेत्

Transliteration

āvāhya pūjayecchaṃbhuṃ ṣoḍaśairupacārakaiḥ | svayamaiśvaryamāpnoti jñānamabhyāsato bhavet

Translation

Nachdem man Śambhu herbeigerufen hat, soll man Ihn mit den sechzehn Darbringungen verehren. Durch diese Verehrung erlangt man mit der Zeit aiśvarya — göttliche Herrschaftskraft; und durch beständige Übung erwächst wahre Erkenntnis.

Word by Word

• आवाह्य: having invoked
• आवाह्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वह् (धातु) with आ- → आवाह्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययवत्; अर्थः: having invoked

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

• शंभुम्: Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• षोडशैः: with sixteen
• षोडशैः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम्

• उपचारकैः: services/offerings
• उपचारकैः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Emphatic subject marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक निपात (reflexive particle)

• ऐश्वर्यम्: lordship/prosperity
• ऐश्वर्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (as subject of भवेत्)

• अभ्यासतः: from practice
• अभ्यासतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अभ्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत्; हेतौ (ablative of cause): from/by practice

• भवेत्: would arise/become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-worship teachings to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General ritual teaching: āvāhana and ṣoḍaśopacāra are presented as a complete pūjā-grammar that yields aiśvarya and culminates in jñāna through abhyāsa.

Significance: Frames pūjā as both bhoga (aiśvarya) and mokṣa-oriented (jñāna). In Śaiva Siddhānta, this aligns with gradual purification leading to Śiva-jñāna by His grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that disciplined Shiva-puja—beginning with āvāhana (invocation) and performed with the full sixteen upacāras—purifies the bound soul (paśu) and becomes a direct cause for the arising of jñāna, culminating in spiritual sovereignty (aiśvarya) under the grace of Pati (Shiva).

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

The sixteen upacāras are the standard method of honoring Saguna Shiva as present in the Linga or murti. By treating Shiva as truly present through invocation and service, devotion becomes concentrated, making the mind fit for Shaiva knowledge and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Shodashopachara Shiva-puja: invoke Shiva (āvāhana), offer the customary services (e.g., water, sandal, flowers, incense, lamp, naivedya), and repeat the worship daily with steady abhyāsa—ideally supported by mantra-japa such as the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).