Shloka 22

Śivapūjā-stuti: Deva-Ṛṣi-Paramparāyāṃ Śaṃkara-caritasya Prastāvaḥ

Prelude to Śaṃkara’s narrative and the lineage of Śiva-worship

Devanagari script

मनवश्च तथा चक्रुस्स्वायंभुवपुरस्सराः । शिवपूजां विशेषेण शिववेषधरा मुने

Transliteration

manavaśca tathā cakrussvāyaṃbhuvapurassarāḥ | śivapūjāṃ viśeṣeṇa śivaveṣadharā mune

Translation

O sage, the Manus too acted in the same way—led by Svāyambhuva Manu—worshipping Śiva with special devotion, having assumed even the appearance and observances of Śiva.

Word by Word

• मनवः: the Manus
• मनवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• चक्रुः: did/performed
• चक्रुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• स्वायंभुवपुरस्सराः: led by Svāyambhuva
• स्वायंभुवपुरस्सराः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वायंभुव (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरस्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वायंभुवः पुरस्सरः येषाम् / स्वायंभुवपुरस्सराः = ‘with Svāyambhuva in front/led by Svāyambhuva’)

• शिवपूजाम्: worship of Shiva
• शिवपूजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य पूजा)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (instrumental used adverbially: ‘especially’)

• शिववेषधराः: wearing Shiva’s guise
• शिववेषधराः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + वेष (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य वेषं धरन्ति)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga passage; it highlights Manus (cosmic lawgivers) adopting Śiva’s veṣa and observances, indicating institutionalization of Śaiva marks and disciplines in governance of the world-age.

Significance: Legitimizes Śaiva external signs (bhasma, rudrākṣa, vrata) as ancient, practiced by Manus; encourages disciplined caryā/kriyā as preparation for higher realization.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Svayambhuva Manu
• Manus

FAQs

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

It teaches that even the primeval lawgivers (the Manus) attained excellence by devoted Śiva-pūjā, emphasizing that sincere bhakti expressed through disciplined observance aligns the soul (paśu) toward Śiva (Pati) and supports liberation.

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

By highlighting “Śiva-pūjā” performed with special care, the verse points to Saguna worship—commonly through the Śiva-liṅga with prescribed upacāras—where outward marks and vows support inward concentration on Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

“Śiva-veṣa” suggests adopting Shaiva observances such as applying bhasma (tripuṇḍra), wearing rudrākṣa, and maintaining Shiva-centered vows while performing mantra-japa (notably the Pañcākṣarī, ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) alongside liṅga-pūjā.