Shloka 34

Śiva-Pūjākramaḥ — The Procedural Order of Shiva Worship

Pañcāvaraṇa & Upacāras

Devanagari script

इदं रहस्यम्परमं शिवोदितं वेदान्तसिद्धातविनिश्चितम्परम् । मत्तश्श्रुतं यद्भवता ततो मुने भवन्मतम्प्राज्ञतमा वदंति

Transliteration

idaṃ rahasyamparamaṃ śivoditaṃ vedāntasiddhātaviniścitamparam | mattaśśrutaṃ yadbhavatā tato mune bhavanmatamprājñatamā vadaṃti

Translation

This supreme secret, proclaimed by Lord Śiva and firmly ascertained by the established conclusions of Vedānta, has been heard by you from me. Therefore, O sage, the wisest declare your understanding to be the most discerning.

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative used adjectivally

• rahasyam: secret/mystery
• rahasyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rahasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Singular (एकवचन)

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Singular (एकवचन)

• śiva-uditam: proclaimed by Śiva
• śiva-uditam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + udita (कृदन्त; √vad/√ud? here udita ‘uttered/declared’, √vad वद् in sense ‘said’ often ‘udita’ from √vad? standard is √vad→udita via ud-√i?; treat as udita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: शिवेन उदितम्; past passive participle (क्त)

• vedānta-siddhānta-viniścitam: ascertained by the Vedānta doctrine
• vedānta-siddhānta-viniścitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vedānta (प्रातिपदिक) + siddhānta (प्रातिपदिक) + viniścita (कृदन्त; √niś-ci निश्चि with vi-)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: वेदान्तस्य सिद्धान्तः, तेन विनिश्चितम्; past passive participle (क्त)

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Singular (एकवचन)

• mattaḥ: from me
• mattaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative (पञ्चमी 5), Singular (एकवचन); pronoun form

• śrutam: heard
• śrutam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śruta (कृदन्त; √śru श्रु)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त) used predicatively

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun referring to teaching

• bhavatā: by you
• bhavatā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया 3), Singular (एकवचन); honorific 2nd person

• tataḥ: therefore
• tataḥ: Hetu/Avyaya (हेतु/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय) meaning 'therefore/then'

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavat-matam: your view/opinion
• bhavat-matam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक) + mata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भवतः मतम्

• prājñatamāḥ: the most wise (people)
• prājñatamāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājña (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (प्रत्यय)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Plural (बहुवचन); superlative (तमप्)

• vadanti: say
• vadanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad वद् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It affirms that Śiva’s highest teaching is a guarded inner doctrine (rahasya) consistent with Vedāntic certainty, and that true wisdom is measured by correct grasp of this liberating knowledge leading toward mokṣa.

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

By calling the teaching “Śiva-proclaimed” and “Vedānta-established,” it links outer devotion to Śiva (including Liṅga worship) with the inner realization of Śiva as the supreme Pati; Saguna worship becomes the doorway to the highest truth it points to.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse emphasizes listening and rightly understanding Śiva’s doctrine; practically, this is supported by śravaṇa-manana (hearing and reflection) alongside steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to make the teaching experiential.