Shloka 53

मुक्तयतिदेहसंस्काररहस्यं — The Esoteric Rites for the Bodies of Liberated Ascetics

Devanagari script

प्रणवेन ब्रह्मभिश्च पञ्चगव्येन तां तनुम् । प्रोक्ष्याभिषिच्य रौद्रेण सूक्तेन प्रणवेन च

Transliteration

praṇavena brahmabhiśca pañcagavyena tāṃ tanum | prokṣyābhiṣicya raudreṇa sūktena praṇavena ca

Translation

With the Praṇava (Oṁ) and the Brahma-mantras, and with the five sacred products of the cow, he should sprinkle and bathe that body; and then, with the Raudra hymn and again with the Praṇava, he should perform the consecratory ablution (abhiṣeka).

Word by Word

• प्रणवेन: with the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ब्रह्मभिः: with brahma(-mantras)/sacred formulas
• ब्रह्मभिः: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

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

• पञ्चगव्येन: with pañcagavya (five cow-products)
• पञ्चगव्येन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + गव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvigu compound (द्विगु: ‘five cow-products’); Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ताम्: that (her/it)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• तनुम्: body, form
• तनुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• प्रोक्ष्य: having sprinkled
• प्रोक्ष्य: Kriya (क्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय, here -य form), ‘having sprinkled’; from √उक्ष् with prefix प्र-

• अभिषिच्य: having anointed
• अभिषिच्य: Kriya (क्रिया/Preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + सिच् (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), ‘having anointed/sprinkled’; √सिच् with prefix अभि-

• रौद्रेण: with the Raudra (pertaining to Rudra)
• रौद्रेण: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); used as qualifier of ‘सूक्तेन’ (rāudra-sūkta)

• सूक्तेन: with a hymn (sūkta)
• सूक्तेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• प्रणवेन: with the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating ritual instructions to the sages in the Shiva Purana style)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ (praṇava); raudreṇa sūktena; brahma-mantraiḥ (sanctifying Vedic formulas)

Type: rudram

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that purification and consecration are completed through mantra (Praṇava and Raudra sūkta) and sacred substances (pañcagavya), aligning the worshipper and the worship-object with Śiva (Pati) so that grace (anugraha) can arise and bonds (pāśa) are loosened.

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

The verse describes prokṣaṇa (sprinkling) and abhiṣeka (ritual bathing), core acts in Saguna Śiva worship—especially of the Liṅga—where the form is sanctified by Vedic/Śaiva mantras and offered ablutions as an embodied way to approach the transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform mantra-japa of Oṁ (Praṇava) and recitation of a Raudra hymn while doing ritual sprinkling and abhiṣeka; as a meditative takeaway, unite breath and mind with Oṁ, visualizing Śiva’s purifying power as the inner abhiṣeka.