Shloka 53

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

उदगारभ्य दश च कृत्वाभ्यर्चनमक्षतैः । तेषु क्रमेण संस्थाप्य ब्राह्मणान्पादयोः पुनः

Transliteration

udagārabhya daśa ca kṛtvābhyarcanamakṣataiḥ | teṣu krameṇa saṃsthāpya brāhmaṇānpādayoḥ punaḥ

Translation

Beginning from the northern direction, he should worship the ten stations with unbroken rice-grains (akṣata). Then, arranging them in proper order, he should once again seat the Brāhmaṇas at those feet.

Word by Word

• उदकात्: from water
• उदकात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• आरभ्य: starting from
• आरभ्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Starting-point)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund used as preposition), ‘starting from’

• दश: ten
• दश: Saṅkhyā (संख्या/Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral), अव्ययवत्/अविकारी प्रयोग; ‘ten’

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

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having done’

• अभ्यर्चनम्: worship; offering
• अभ्यर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभि-√अर्च् (धातु) + अन (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कृत्-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक (action noun)

• अक्षतैः: with unbroken rice grains
• अक्षतैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• तेषु: among/in those
• तेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Place)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• क्रमेण: in sequence
• क्रमेण: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण तृतीया-एकवचन (adverbial instrumental: ‘in order’)

• संस्थाप्य: having placed
• संस्थाप्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having placed/installed’

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• पादयोः: at the feet (two feet)
• पादयोः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Place)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), द्विवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed ritual procedure to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Brahmanas

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that Shaiva worship is both devotion and disciplined order: honoring sacred directions, offering pure akṣata, and reverently seating Brāhmaṇas reflects humility and alignment with dharma, which supports inner purification toward Shiva-realization.

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

The verse describes the external rite that supports Saguna Shiva worship—structured offerings and respectful service to Shiva’s worship-context (including honored guests/Brāhmaṇas). Such orderly puja steadies the mind, making it fit to contemplate Shiva beyond form as Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direction-oriented puja sequence beginning from the north, offering akṣata at ten designated points, and then seating/serving Brāhmaṇas—practically teaching careful ritual attention (kriyā) alongside devotional intent (bhakti).