Shloka 28

Devīkṛta-praśna-varṇana (Description of the Goddess’s Questions) / देवीकृतप्रश्नवर्णनम्

Devanagari script

पूजायां मण्डलं किं वा किं वा ऋष्यादिकं हर । न्यासजातविधिः को वा को वा पूजाविधिक्रमः

Transliteration

pūjāyāṃ maṇḍalaṃ kiṃ vā kiṃ vā ṛṣyādikaṃ hara | nyāsajātavidhiḥ ko vā ko vā pūjāvidhikramaḥ

Translation

O Hara, in the worship, what is the maṇḍala (ritual diagram), and what are the preliminaries beginning with the ṛṣi (seer and allied details)? What is the procedure for the various nyāsas (ritual placements), and what is the proper sequence of the method of worship?

Word by Word

• पूजायाम्: in worship
• पूजायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मण्डलम्: maṇḍala/ritual diagram
• मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular), प्रश्नार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular), प्रश्नार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• ऋष्यादिकम्: the ṛṣi etc. (ancillaries)
• ऋष्यादिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि + आदि + क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आदि-तत्पुरुष: ऋषिः आदिः यस्य तत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• हर: O Hara
• हर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न्यासजातविधिः: procedure of the nyāsa-types
• न्यासजातविधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्यास + जात + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (न्यासस्य जातः विधिः / न्यासजातस्य विधिः; determinative), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कः: which/what?
• कः: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), प्रश्नार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• कः: which/what?
• कः: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), प्रश्नार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• पूजाविधिक्रमः: sequence of the worship-procedure
• पूजाविधिक्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा + विधि + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पूजायाः विधेः क्रमः / पूजाविधेः क्रमः), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Parvati

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights āgamic-ritual precision (maṇḍala, ṛṣi-ādi, nyāsa) as a means to purify pāśa (mala/karma/māyā) and make the paśu fit for Pati’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It frames worship as both devotion and disciplined method: the seeker (here, Pārvatī) asks for the correct ritual structure so that devotion is aligned with mantra, purity, and right order—supporting Śiva’s grace (anugraha) in the Shaiva Siddhanta spirit.

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

By asking about maṇḍala, ṛṣi-ādi details, nyāsa, and sequence, the verse points to formal Saguna Śiva worship (including Liṅga-pūjā) where mantra is installed in the body/mind (nyāsa) and offered outwardly through ordered upacāras.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Nyāsa is implied as a meditative-ritual practice—placing the mantra’s power on the limbs and heart—often paired with mantra-japa (such as the Pañcākṣarī/“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and a step-by-step pūjā-krama performed with focused awareness.