Shloka 34

Śiva-Śakti Tattva, Varṇa-Rahasya, and Mahāvākya-Bhāvanā

Interpretive Discipline

Devanagari script

ओमित्यभ्यर्च्य गन्धाद्यैरस्त्रं वस्त्रोपशोभितम् । वासितं जलमापूर्य सम्पूज्योमिति मन्त्रतः

Transliteration

omityabhyarcya gandhādyairastraṃ vastropaśobhitam | vāsitaṃ jalamāpūrya sampūjyomiti mantrataḥ

Translation

Worshipping the protective Astra with the utterance “Om,” and honoring it with fragrance and other offerings, adorning it with cloth, one should fill it with perfumed water and duly worship it again, in accordance with the mantra that begins with “Om.”

Word by Word

• ॐ: Om
• ॐ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/उद्धरण-रूपेण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-शब्दः; अव्यय (indeclinable sacred syllable)

• इति: thus/“...”,
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/वाक्य-चिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्ति-सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); परस्मैपदी; ‘having worshipped’

• गन्धाद्यैः: with scents and the like
• गन्धाद्यैः: Karana (करणम्/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—गन्ध-आदि (and the like: scents etc.)

• अस्त्रम्: the weapon (astra)
• अस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वस्त्र-उपशोभितम्: adorned with cloth
• वस्त्र-उपशोभितम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उप+शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: समासः—वस्त्रेण उपशोभितम् (instrumental-tatpurusha); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; अस्त्रम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वासितम्: perfumed
• वासितम्: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वा॒स् (धातु, वासयति)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; (जलम् इति विशेष्यस्य) ‘perfumed/scented’

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आपूर्य: having filled
• आपूर्य: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+पूर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having filled’

• सम्पूज्य: having worshipped properly
• सम्पूज्य: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having duly worshipped’

• ॐ: Om
• ॐ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/उद्धरण-रूपेण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-शब्दः; अव्यय

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/वाक्य-चिह्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्ति-सूचक अव्यय

• मन्त्रतः: according to the mantra
• मन्त्रतः: Hetu (हेतुः/प्रकारः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); ‘by/according to the mantra’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed Śaiva worship procedure to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-worship is sanctified and protected by the Praṇava (Om): offerings, purity (scented water), and mantra-guided reverence together align the devotee (paśu) toward Pati (Śiva) through disciplined upacāra and inner steadiness.

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

The verse describes preparatory and protective worship used in Saguna Śiva pūjā—especially before offerings and abhiṣeka to the Liṅga—where Om functions as the seed invocation and the ‘astra’ element safeguards the rite from obstacles.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Om-uttered worship with standard upacāras (fragrance, etc.), prepare perfumed water for consecration/ablution, and maintain mantra-discipline—treating Om as the focal invocation while establishing protective intent (astra) before proceeding with Śiva worship.