Shloka 71

Devanagari script

चतस्रः प्रणिधातव्याः पूर्वादिक्रमयोगतः । हृत्कंठांसेषु नाभौ च कुक्षौ पृष्ठे च वक्षसि

Transliteration

catasraḥ praṇidhātavyāḥ pūrvādikramayogataḥ | hṛtkaṃṭhāṃseṣu nābhau ca kukṣau pṛṣṭhe ca vakṣasi

Translation

In the proper sequence beginning from the east, four sacred placements are to be made—at the heart, the throat, and the shoulders; and also at the navel, the sides of the belly, the back, and the chest.

Word by Word

• catasraḥ: four (feminine)
• catasraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (प्रथमा/ Nominative), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• praṇidhātavyāḥ: to be placed/assigned
• praṇidhātavyāḥ: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-ṇi-dhā (धातु) + -tavya (कृत्, तव्यत्)
• Form: Kṛtya (कृत्य) gerundive/obligative; Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; ‘to be placed/assigned’

• pūrva-ādi-krama-yogataḥ: according to the order starting from the east
• pūrva-ādi-krama-yogataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + krama (प्रातिपदिक) + yogataḥ (योगतः, अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय) adverbial; -taḥ (तः) = ‘by/according to’; compound sense: ‘according to the order beginning with the east’

• hṛt-kaṇṭha-aṃseṣu: in the heart, throat, and shoulders
• hṛt-kaṇṭha-aṃseṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛd (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Saptamī vibhakti (सप्तमी/ Locative), Bahuvacana; dvandva of locations: ‘in heart, throat, and shoulders’

• nābhau: in the navel
• nābhau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

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

• kukṣau: in the belly/abdomen
• kukṣau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kukṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative), Ekavacana

• pṛṣṭhe: on/in the back
• pṛṣṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Saptamī vibhakti (Locative), Ekavacana

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

• vakṣasi: in the chest
• vakṣasi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Saptamī vibhakti (Locative), Ekavacana

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined, ordered sanctification of the body—treating the devotee’s limbs as a sacred field for Shiva-oriented practice, supporting inner purity and steadiness of mind (śuddhi and dhāraṇā) on the path to liberation.

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

By ritually marking/placing sanctifying elements on key bodily locations, the devotee aligns the body with Shiva’s worship; this prepares one for Saguna Shiva devotion (such as Linga-pūjā) and for mantra-japa by establishing reverence and ritual readiness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A prescribed sequence of placements/marks on specific body points—commonly understood in Shaiva practice as part of bhasma/tilaka or related preparatory rites—supporting meditation, mantra-japa (e.g., Panchakshara), and focused devotion.