Shloka 14

Śiva-Pūjākramaḥ — The Procedural Order of Shiva Worship

Pañcāvaraṇa & Upacāras

Devanagari script

आपोशनं समर्प्याथ प्रार्थयेत्तानिदम्प्रति । सदाशिवादयः प्रीता वरदाश्च भवन्तु मे

Transliteration

āpośanaṃ samarpyātha prārthayettānidamprati | sadāśivādayaḥ prītā varadāśca bhavantu me

Translation

Then, having duly offered the āpośana (the ritual sipping/offering of water), one should pray to them with this intention: “May Sadāśiva and the divine ones beginning with Him be pleased, and may they become bestowers of boons to me.”

Word by Word

• āpośanam: sipping of water (ācamana/āpośana)
• āpośanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āpośana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• samarpya: having offered
• samarpya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-arp (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having offered’

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle (अनन्तरार्थक/क्रमसूचक)

• prārthayet: should pray/request
• prārthayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-arth (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd/प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• tān: those (them)
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• idam: this (prayer/statement)
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• prati: towards; with regard to
• prati: Sampradāna/Prayojana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; preposition/postposition (उपसर्गार्थे/प्रत्यर्थे) governing accusative

• sadāśiva-ādayaḥ: Sadāśiva and others
• sadāśiva-ādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sadāśiva + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); ‘-ādayaḥ’ = ‘and others beginning with’

• prītāḥ: pleased
• prītāḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण/subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prīta (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from √prī)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); past participle used adjectivally

• varadāḥ: boon-giving
• varadāḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara-da (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Bahuvacana; ‘vara’ (boon) + ‘da’ (giver)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय)

• bhavantu: may they be
• bhavantu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्/imperative), Parasmaipada, Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana

• me: for me / to me
• me: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी) or Caturthī (4th/चतुर्थी) Ekavacana; enclitic ‘me’ (mama/mahyaṃ) — here: dative sense

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the prescribed procedure/teaching to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; it is a direct appeal for prasāda from Sadāśiva and the gaṇa/divine retinue ‘beginning with Him’ (ādya-parivāra).

Significance: Frames worship as petition for grace: pleasing Sadāśiva is the theological pivot for receiving boons (varada) and spiritual uplift.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: sadāśivādayaḥ prītā varadāś ca bhavantu me

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Sadāśiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer ritual purity (āpośana) should culminate in inner surrender: the devotee seeks Sadāśiva’s pleasure, because grace (anugraha) is the true source of spiritual fruition and liberation in Shaiva Siddhānta.

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

Āpośana and prayer are preparatory acts within Shiva-pūjā; through disciplined worship of Saguna Shiva (often via the Śiva-liṅga), the devotee invokes Sadāśiva’s benevolence, by which the mind becomes fit for realizing Shiva as the supreme Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform āpośana (ritual water-sipping/offering) as a purification step, then offer a focused prayer for Sadāśiva’s satisfaction; as a meditative takeaway, align intention with devotion and recite Shiva-mantra (e.g., the Pañcākṣarī) with humility.