Shloka 52

Devanagari script

शमीपत्रश्च कुसुमैरुत्तराग्रं तदूर्ध्वतः । आस्तीर्य दर्भांस्तत्पीठं चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम्

Transliteration

śamīpatraśca kusumairuttarāgraṃ tadūrdhvataḥ | āstīrya darbhāṃstatpīṭhaṃ cailājinakuśottaram

Translation

Spreading śamī leaves and flowers with their tips directed toward the north, and laying sacred darbha grass above them, one should prepare that seat—covered with a cloth, with a deerskin, and with darbha grass on top.

Word by Word

• शमीपत्रः: a śamī-leaf (leaf of śamī)
• शमीपत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शमीपत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—शमी + पत्र (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

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

• कुसुमैः: with flowers
• कुसुमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• उत्तराग्रम्: having the northern end as the tip / with north as the front
• उत्तराग्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—उत्तरम् अग्रं यस्य (कर्मधारयः)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Anuyogi (अनुयोगी/that)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (context: refers to the seat/arrangement)

• ऊर्ध्वतः: above, upwards
• ऊर्ध्वतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), दिशावाचक/स्थानवाचक (ablatival adverb)

• आस्तीर्य: having spread
• आस्तीर्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘आस्तॄ’ धातोः—‘having spread’

• दर्भान्: darbha grasses
• दर्भान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• पीठम्: seat, pedestal
• पीठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम्: having cloth, deerskin, and kuśa placed on top
• चैलाजिनकुशोत्तरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चैल + अजिन + कुश + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—चैलम्/अजिनम्/कुशाः + उत्तरम् (उपरि स्थितम्) बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (उत्तरतत्पुरुष-भावः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

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 disciplined preparation for Shiva-worship: arranging a pure āsana with auspicious materials and right orientation so the mind becomes steady and fit for devotion and contemplation of Pati (Shiva).

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

It describes the practical setup that precedes Saguna Shiva worship—especially linga-puja—where purity, sacred seating, and careful arrangement support focused offering, mantra-japa, and reverent presence before Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare an āsana by layering cloth and deerskin with darbha on top, place śamī leaves and flowers with tips to the north, then sit steadily for Shiva-mantra japa (such as the Panchakshara) and puja.