Shloka 44

Andhakeśvara-liṅga Māhātmya and Śiva’s Subjugation of Andhaka (अन्धकेश्वरलिङ्गमाहात्म्य तथा अन्धकवध-प्रसङ्ग)

Devanagari script

तदोंनमः शिवायेति श्रीशब्द पूर्वकाय च । वारान्षोडश संकल्पपूजां कुर्यादयं बटुः

Transliteration

tadoṃnamaḥ śivāyeti śrīśabda pūrvakāya ca | vārānṣoḍaśa saṃkalpapūjāṃ kuryādayaṃ baṭuḥ

Translation

Then that young devotee should perform worship with a vowed intention for sixteen occasions, uttering “Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya,” and also (reciting it) preceded by the auspicious word “Śrī.”

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (अत्र—तत् मन्त्रं/तत्)

• ॐ: Oṃ
• ॐ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ॐ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: प्रणव-रूपम् अव्ययम् (sacred syllable)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपात-स्वरूपम्; प्रायः चतुर्थी-संबन्धे प्रयोगः (salutation particle)

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचनम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (quotative)

• श्रीशब्द: the word “śrī”
• श्रीशब्द: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (श्रियाः शब्दः/श्री-शब्दः)

• पूर्वकाय: as a prefix/preceded by
• पूर्वकाय: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (ending with/preceded by)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• वारान्: times/occasions
• वारान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडशन् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; अत्र—वारान् विशेषयति (sixteen)

• संकल्पपूजाम्: the worship with resolve (saṅkalpa-pūjā)
• संकल्पपूजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (संकल्पेन क्रियते या पूजा)

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकारः (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• बटुः: the young brahmacārin/boy
• बटुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadashiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Pañcākṣarī-japa with saṅkalpa over a fixed count (ṣoḍaśa-vāra) is framed as a disciplined upāya for śuddhi and Śiva’s anugraha, preparing the bound soul (paśu) for grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya; śrī oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that Śiva-worship becomes spiritually potent when joined with saṅkalpa (a conscious vow) and steady repetition of the Pañcākṣarī “Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya,” cultivating disciplined bhakti that leads the soul (paśu) toward Śiva (Pati).

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

The instruction is practical for saguna upāsanā—formal pūjā and mantra-japa offered to Śiva as worshipable Lord (often through the Liṅga), where the devotee anchors mind and ritual through the mantra and an explicit vow.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform ṣoḍaśa (sixteen) rounds/occasions of saṅkalpa-based pūjā while chanting “Oṃ Namaḥ Śivāya,” optionally prefacing the mantra with “Śrī” as an auspicious invocation during japa and worship.