Shloka 26

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

सुयशां सुव्रतामम्बापादमण्डनतत्पराम् । संपूज्य विधिवद्गन्धपुष्पाद्यैरुपचारकैः

Transliteration

suyaśāṃ suvratāmambāpādamaṇḍanatatparām | saṃpūjya vidhivadgandhapuṣpādyairupacārakaiḥ

Translation

Having duly worshipped Suyaśā—virtuous and of excellent vows, ever intent on adorning the feet of the Divine Mother—according to proper rite, with offerings such as fragrant unguents, flowers, and the other customary services.

Word by Word

• सु-यशाम्: of good fame
• सु-यशाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; ‘सुयशस्’ = good-famed; विशेषण

• सु-व्रताम्: of good vows
• सु-व्रताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; ‘सुव्रता’ = of good vows; विशेषण

• अम्बा-पाद-मण्डन-तत्पराम्: devoted to adorning the Mother’s feet
• अम्बा-पाद-मण्डन-तत्पराम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अम्बा (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डन (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Acc), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; ‘अम्बायाः पादमण्डने तत्परा’ इति; विशेषण

• सम्पूज्य: having duly worshipped
• सम्पूज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having worshipped’

• विधि-वत्: according to the prescribed rite
• विधि-वत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb) = according to rule

• गन्ध-पुष्प-आद्यैः: with perfumes, flowers, and the like
• गन्ध-पुष्प-आद्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व ‘गन्धाश्च पुष्पाणि च’ + ‘आदि’; ‘with perfumes, flowers, etc.’

• उपचारकैः: with offerings/services
• उपचारकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instr), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Ambā (Divine Mother/Devī)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights vidhivat (rule-based) devotional worship as a purifying discipline: honoring the Divine Mother with sincere upacāras trains the mind in humility, steadiness of vow (suvrata), and reverence—qualities that, in Shaiva Siddhanta, mature bhakti and prepare the soul (paśu) for Shiva’s grace.

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

Though the verse focuses on Ambā (the Mother), it exemplifies Saguna worship through tangible offerings (gandha, puṣpa, upacāra). In Shaiva practice, the same vidhivat upacāras apply to Shiva’s Linga and to the divine family—Saguna worship stabilizes devotion and becomes a support for realizing the Supreme (Pati).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform a simple vidhivat pūjā with standard upacāras—especially gandha (fragrant sandal/paste) and puṣpa (flowers)—offered with focused intent and purity of vow; accompany the offering with steady remembrance of the deity (bhāva) and, where customary, japa of a Shaiva mantra such as the Panchākṣarī.