Shloka 27

Śiva-Naivedya-Grāhyatā-Nirṇayaḥ

On the Proper Acceptance and Merit of Śiva’s Consecrated Food-Offering

Devanagari script

पूजयेद्बिल्वमूलं यो गंधपुष्पादिभिर्नरः । शिवलोकमवाप्नोति संततिर्वर्द्धते सुखम्

Transliteration

pūjayedbilvamūlaṃ yo gaṃdhapuṣpādibhirnaraḥ | śivalokamavāpnoti saṃtatirvarddhate sukham

Translation

Wer den Bilva-Baum an seiner Wurzel mit Duft, Blumen und dergleichen verehrt, erlangt Shivas Reich; und seine Nachkommenschaft wächst, samt Glückseligkeit.

Word by Word

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

• बिल्व-मूलम्: the root of the bilva tree
• बिल्व-मूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—बिल्वस्य मूलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• गन्ध-पुष्प-आदिभिः: with fragrances, flowers, etc.
• गन्ध-पुष्प-आदिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—गन्धपुष्पादयः (समाहार/तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शिव-लोकम्: Shiva’s world
• शिव-लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—शिवस्य लोकः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• अवाप्नोति: attains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• संततिः: progeny/lineage
• संततिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वर्द्धते: increases
• वर्द्धते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person/प्रथम), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सुखम्: happily/with happiness
• सुखम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: In the Viśveśvarasaṃhitā context, worship connected with Kāśī/Viśveśvara is praised as granting Śivaloka; bilva is treated as especially dear to Śiva and thus a direct upacāra leading to His grace.

Significance: Bestows Śiva’s grace culminating in Śivaloka (liberation-oriented merit) and also worldly welfare such as progeny and happiness.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Bilva

FAQs

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

It teaches that sincere bhakti expressed through simple offerings—especially bilva-related worship—invites Śiva’s grace, leading to Śivaloka (spiritual upliftment) and also dharmic well-being in worldly life.

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

Bilva worship is a classic upacāra in Saguna Śiva devotion; honoring the bilva at its root aligns with Linga-pūjā traditions where tangible offerings (flowers, gandha) become vehicles for devotion toward Śiva as Pati (the Lord).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform a simple Śiva-pūjā by offering gandha (fragrance) and puṣpa (flowers) at the bilva root (or with bilva in Śiva worship), ideally while remembering Śiva and reciting the Pañcākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”