Shloka 2

Ekādaśāhna-vidhiḥ (The Rite Prescribed for the Eleventh Day): Maṇḍala-racanā, Āvāhana, Mudrā, and Ativāhika-devatā Pūjā

Devanagari script

सम्मार्ज्य वेदीमालिप्य कृत्वा पुण्याहवाचनम् । प्रोक्ष्य पश्चिममारभ्य पूर्वान्तम्पञ्च च क्रमात्

Transliteration

sammārjya vedīmālipya kṛtvā puṇyāhavācanam | prokṣya paścimamārabhya pūrvāntampañca ca kramāt

Translation

Having swept the altar and smeared the vedi, and having performed the auspicious proclamation (puṇyāha-vācana), one should then sprinkle it with sanctified water—beginning from the western side and proceeding in due order through the five directions (zones) up to the eastern end.

Word by Word

• सम्मार्ज्य: having cleaned
• सम्मार्ज्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-मृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having cleansed’

• वेदीम्: the altar
• वेदीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म of आलिप्य

• आलिप्य: having plastered/smeared
• आलिप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-लिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having smeared/plastered’

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having done’

• पुण्याहवाचनम्: the auspicious-day proclamation/recitation
• पुण्याहवाचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्याह + वाचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म of कृत्वा; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुण्याहस्य वाचनम्)

• प्रोक्ष्य: having sprinkled (with water)
• प्रोक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having sprinkled’

• पश्चिमम्: the west (side)
• पश्चिमम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; दिशावाचक; कर्म/अधिकरण-निर्देश with आरभ्य

• आरभ्य: starting from
• आरभ्य: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) used as postposition ‘starting from’; अव्ययभाव

• पूर्वान्तम्: up to the eastern end
• पूर्वान्तम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म/गन्तव्य-निर्देश; तत्पुरुष (पूर्वस्य अन्तः)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Prakara/Parimana (प्रकार/परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; here used adverbially ‘five (times/steps)’; (case not expressed)

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

• क्रमात्: in sequence
• क्रमात्: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative) एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘in order/stepwise’ (instrumental sense expressed via ablative idiom)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer purity (cleaning, plastering, and sprinkling) supports inner purity; orderly sanctification prepares the worship-space so the devotee may approach Shiva (Pati) with disciplined devotion and reverence.

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

It describes preparatory rites for formal Shiva worship, where the sanctified altar becomes fit for invoking Saguna Shiva in the Linga through mantra and offerings, aligning the ritual space with sacred order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform puṇyāha-vācana and prokṣaṇa (sprinkling) after cleansing the worship area, moving directionally in sequence; this can be paired with steady japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” while preparing the altar.