Shloka 5

Devanagari script

नैवेद्यमुत्तमं दद्यात्ताम्बूलादिमथापरम् । परितोष्य नमस्कृत्य निर्विघ्नम्प्रार्थयेत्ततः

Transliteration

naivedyamuttamaṃ dadyāttāmbūlādimathāparam | paritoṣya namaskṛtya nirvighnamprārthayettataḥ

Translation

He should offer the finest naivedya, and then other offerings such as tāmbūla (betel). Having pleased the Lord and bowed in reverence, he should thereafter pray that the worship may proceed without obstacles.

Word by Word

• naivedyam: food offering (naivedya)
• naivedyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naivedya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• uttamam: excellent; best
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying naivedyam

• dadyāt: should offer
• dadyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धाातु)
• Form: Optative/vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tāmbūla-ādim: betel and the like
• tāmbūla-ādim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāmbūla + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); 'tāmbūla etc.'

• atha: then; and next
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अनन्तरार्थक/प्रारम्भक अव्यय)

• aparam: another; additional
• aparam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying implied 'naivedyam/dravya'

• paritoṣya: having pleased
• paritoṣya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√tuṣ (तुष् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having pleased/satisfied'

• namaskṛtya: having bowed
• namaskṛtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: namas-√kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having saluted'

• nirvighnam: freedom from obstacles
• nirvighnam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nirvighna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); used as object of prārthayet

• prārthayet: should pray/request
• prārthayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√arth (अर्थ् धातु)
• Form: Optative/vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tataḥ: then; thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: General: praying for nirvighnatā is a prerequisite for successful darśana/pūjā at any Śiva-kṣetra; the verse functions as a universal pilgrimage/pūjā instruction rather than a single sthala.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer offerings culminate in inner surrender: after pleasing Shiva through worship, the devotee seeks nirvighna—unobstructed practice—by depending on the Lord’s grace rather than ego-effort.

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

Naivedya and tāmbūla are standard upacāras in Saguna worship of Shiva, especially in Linga-pūjā; the verse frames these acts as devotion that pleases the manifest Lord, followed by a humble prayer for smooth completion of the rite.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Complete the pūjā with proper upacāras (naivedya, tāmbūla), then offer namaskāra and a focused prayer for nirvighna; this can be paired with silent japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while mentally surrendering obstacles to Shiva.