Shloka 38

Śiva-Pūjākramaḥ — The Procedural Order of Shiva Worship

Pañcāvaraṇa & Upacāras

Devanagari script

वामदेवोऽपि सच्छिष्यैस्संवृतश्शिखिवाहनम् । सम्प्रणम्य जगामाशु कैलासम्परमाद्भुतम्

Transliteration

vāmadevo'pi sacchiṣyaissaṃvṛtaśśikhivāhanam | sampraṇamya jagāmāśu kailāsamparamādbhutam

Translation

Vāmadeva too—surrounded by his virtuous disciples—bowed in full reverence to Śikhivāhana and quickly set out for the supremely wondrous Mount Kailāsa.

Word by Word

• वामदेवः: Vāmadeva
• वामदेवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे (also/even)

• सत्-शिष्यैः: with good disciples
• सत्-शिष्यैः: सहकारक (Sahakāraka/Accompaniment)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय-समास (good + disciples)

• संवृतः: surrounded
• संवृतः: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + वृ (धातु) → संवृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying vāmadevaḥ)

• शिखि-वाहनम्: Skanda (the one with peacock as vehicle)
• शिखि-वाहनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखि (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (whose vehicle is a peacock)

• सम्-प्रणम्य: having bowed (to)
• सम्-प्रणम्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + नम् (धातु) → प्रणम्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाले (having bowed)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कैलासम्: to Kailāsa
• कैलासम्: कर्म (Karma/Goal as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैलास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गन्तव्य-देश (destination)

• परम्: supremely
• परम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (to adbhutam)

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (to kailāsam)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Model of guru-disciple pilgrimage: approaching Kailāsa after offering praṇāma to a revered deity/guardian figure signifies humility and eligibility (adhikāra).

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Vamadeva
• Kailasa
• Shiva
• Kartikeya

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva ideal of humble surrender: even a revered sage like Vāmadeva bows with devotion and proceeds toward Kailāsa, the symbolic abode of Pati (Śiva) and the goal of the seeker’s inner ascent.

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

Kailāsa represents Saguna Śiva’s accessible presence—Śiva as the compassionate Lord with abode, attendants, and sacred geography—encouraging devotees to approach Him through reverence (praṇāma), pilgrimage, and disciplined discipleship, which support Linga-worship as a concrete focus.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The immediate takeaway is praṇāma (full reverential bow) and guru-anugamana (following the guru with sincerity). In practice, this aligns with daily Shiva-bhakti such as chanting the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) while mentally contemplating Kailāsa as the seat of Śiva.