Shloka 14

संन्यासमण्डलविधिवर्णनम्

Sannyāsa Maṇḍala Vidhi—Procedure for the Renunciate Mandala

Devanagari script

कोष्ठानि कोणभागेषु चत्वार्येतानि सुन्दरि । शुक्लेनापूर्य्य वर्णादि चतुष्कं रक्तधातुभिः

Transliteration

koṣṭhāni koṇabhāgeṣu catvāryetāni sundari | śuklenāpūryya varṇādi catuṣkaṃ raktadhātubhiḥ

Translation

O beautiful one, in the corner-sections there are these four compartments. Fill them with a white substance, and prepare the fourfold set beginning with the colours, using red mineral pigments.

Word by Word

• कोष्ठानि: cells/compartments
• कोष्ठानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• कोण: of the corner
• कोण: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• भागेषु: in the corner-sections
• भागेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: कोण-भागेषु = 'in the corner-parts'

• चत्वारि: four
• चत्वारि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण

• सुन्दरि: O beautiful one
• सुन्दरि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुन्दरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• शुक्लेन: with white (color/substance)
• शुक्लेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; साधन

• आपूर्य: having filled
• आपूर्य: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + पूर् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/अव्ययभाव), 'having filled'

• वर्ण: of color
• वर्ण: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• आदि: etc.
• आदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; 'etc./and the rest'

• चतुष्कम्: the group of four
• चतुष्कम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: वर्ण-आदि-चतुष्कम् = 'the set of four beginning with colors'

• रक्त: red
• रक्त: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• धातुभिः: with red pigments/minerals
• धातुभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः: रक्त-धातुभिः = 'with red minerals/pigments'

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This is technical maṇḍala-vidhi: four corner compartments (koṣṭhas) are filled and a fourfold color-set is prepared; not a site-specific jyotirliṅga passage.

Significance: Correct maṇḍala completion is treated as enabling stable invocation (āvāhana) and orderly worship; the ‘fourfold set’ often supports completeness (pūrṇatā) in ritual space.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Gaurī

Role: creative

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It presents a disciplined, orderly method of sacred arrangement—symbolizing that devotion to Pati (Shiva) must be supported by purity (white) and consecrated power/energy (red), turning outer ritual into inner refinement.

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

The verse belongs to practical instructions for worship/ritual preparation, where Saguna Shiva is approached through correctly prepared materials and sacred layout, training the mind toward steadiness and reverence that culminate in Linga-bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It suggests careful preparation of a fourfold arrangement using purified substances and pigments—an external discipline that can be paired with silent japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) while preparing the worship space.