Shloka 23

गुरुत्व-परम्परा-शौचविधि-प्रश्नः

Questions on Guruhood, Lineage, and Purificatory Discipline

Devanagari script

अवगुंठ्य प्रदर्श्याथ धूपदीपौ च भक्तितः । धेनुयोन्याख्यमुद्रे च सम्यक्तत्र प्रदर्शयेत्

Transliteration

avaguṃṭhya pradarśyātha dhūpadīpau ca bhaktitaḥ | dhenuyonyākhyamudre ca samyaktatra pradarśayet

Translation

Having performed Avaguṇṭhana (the protective veiling gesture) and then revealing the worshipped emblem, the devotee should, with devotion, offer incense and a lamp; and there, in due order, properly display the mudrās called Dhenu and Yoni.

Word by Word

• अवगुण्ठ्य: having covered/veiled
• अवगुण्ठ्य: Kriya (क्रियापूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-गुण्ठ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘अवगुण्ठ्य’ = having covered/veiled

• प्रदर्श्य: having shown
• प्रदर्श्य: Kriya (क्रियापूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव; ‘प्रदर्श्य’ = having shown

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (then)

• धूप-दीपौ: incense and lamp
• धूप-दीपौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक) + दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः; सन्दर्भे कर्मत्वेन (offer/show)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)

• भक्तितः: with devotion
• भक्तितः: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Ablatival adverb); ‘भक्तितः’ = out of devotion/devotionally

• धेनु-योनि-आख्या-मुद्रे: in the two mudrās called ‘Dhenu-yoni’
• धेनु-योनि-आख्या-मुद्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक) + मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), द्विवचन; ‘धेनुयोनि-नाम्नी’ मुद्रा

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (properly, correctly)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (there/in that place)

• प्रदर्शयेत्: should show/demonstrate
• प्रदर्शयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Śiva-pūjā procedure as taught in the Kailāsa-saṃhitā)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-worship is both inward devotion (bhakti) and disciplined sacred action—protecting the rite (avaguṇṭhana), honoring Śiva with light and fragrance (dīpa, dhūpa), and sealing the intention through prescribed mudrās, so the mind remains aligned with Pati (Śiva) rather than drifting into distraction.

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

The verse describes concrete upacāras used in saguna-upāsanā of Śiva as the Liṅga—offering dhūpa and dīpa and performing ritual gestures—through which the devotee approaches the formless Lord via a sanctified form, a key Shaiva Siddhānta approach for purification and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Avaguṇṭhana (a protective covering/revealing gesture), then offer incense and lamp with devotion, and conclude by showing the Dhenu and Yoni mudrās as part of liṅga-pūjā to stabilize focus and sanctify the worship.