Shloka 8

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

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

Devanagari script

शिवपूजाकरा नित्यं मत्पुत्राः परमर्षयः । अन्ये च ऋषयो ये ते शिवपूजनकारकाः

Transliteration

śivapūjākarā nityaṃ matputrāḥ paramarṣayaḥ | anye ca ṛṣayo ye te śivapūjanakārakāḥ

Translation

“My sons—the supreme sages—are ever engaged in the worship of Śiva; and those other ṛṣis who are there as well are also performers of Śiva’s worship.”

Word by Word

• शिव-पूजा-कराः: performers of Śiva-worship
• शिव-पूजा-कराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासार्थ: ‘शिवस्य पूजां कुर्वन्ति’ (doers of Śiva-worship)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मत्-पुत्राः: my sons
• मत्-पुत्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी-रूप/प्रातिपदिकवत्) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मम पुत्राः’

• परम-ऋषयः: supreme sages
• परम-ऋषयः: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘परमा ऋषयः’

• अन्ये: other
• अन्ये: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तदनुयायी (correlative)

• शिव-पूजन-कारकाः: doers of Śiva-worship
• शिव-पूजन-कारकाः: Predicate nominative (विधेय-प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-समासार्थ: ‘शिवपूजनं कुर्वन्ति’

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes that even Brahmā’s mind-born sons (highest ṛṣis) model Śiva-pūjā; the implied fruit is śiva-anugraha leading to loosening of pāśa (bondage) for the paśu through right devotion and right conduct.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahma
• Rishis

FAQs

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

It establishes that constant (nitya) Śiva-pūjā is the hallmark of the highest sages, implying that steadfast devotion to Pati (Śiva) purifies the paśu (individual soul) and supports liberation-oriented life.

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

Śiva-pūjā in Purāṇic practice is commonly centered on Saguna Śiva through the Śiva-liṅga; the verse legitimizes that such concrete, ritual devotion is upheld by realized ṛṣis, not merely by householders.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is regular Śiva-pūjā as a daily discipline—typically including liṅga-abhiṣeka, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and traditional Śaiva marks like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) where applicable.