Shloka 12

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां सितायां तु त्याज्यं विष्णो हि भोजनम् । असितायां तु भोक्तव्यं नक्तमभ्यर्च्य मां हरे

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ sitāyāṃ tu tyājyaṃ viṣṇo hi bhojanam | asitāyāṃ tu bhoktavyaṃ naktamabhyarcya māṃ hare

Translation

O Viṣṇu, on the bright (waxing) Ekādaśī one should abstain from eating. But on the dark (waning) Ekādaśī one may partake of food at night—after worshipping Me, O Hari.

Word by Word

• एकादश्याम्: on the Ekādaśī (11th lunar day)
• एकादश्याम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• सितायाम्: in the bright (fortnight)
• सितायाम्: विशेषण (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying एकादशी)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; विशेष/विरोधार्थक-निपातः (emphasis/contrast)

• त्याज्यम्: should be avoided
• त्याज्यम्: विधेय (Predicate of obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: त्यज्-धातोः यत्-प्रत्ययान्तं कृदन्तम् (gerundive: 'to be abandoned'); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: हेतु/सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (emphasis/reason)

• भोजनम्: eating/meal
• भोजनम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; with tyājyaṃ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे (neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• असितायाम्: in the dark (fortnight)
• असितायाम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम् (Singular); विशेषणम् (elliptically: 'असितायां (एकादश्याम्)')

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः

• भोक्तव्यम्: should be eaten
• भोक्तव्यम्: विधेय (Predicate of obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भुज्-धातोः तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्तं कृदन्तम् (gerundive: 'to be eaten'); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• नक्तम्: at night
• नक्तम्: अधिकरण (Time adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोगः (adverbial accusative); कालवाचक-अव्ययवत् (at night)

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: पूर्वक्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√अर्च् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अभ्यर्च्-धातोः ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्तं अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having worshipped)

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of abhyarcya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• हरे: O Hari
• हरे: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Frames vrata-discipline (upavāsa/niyama) as a means to Śiva’s grace; applicable to pilgrimage fasts and temple-sevā generally.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It teaches vrata-dharma as a means of inner purification: restraint (fasting) and placing Śiva-pūjā before personal enjoyment, aligning the soul (paśu) toward Pati (Śiva).

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

The instruction “having worshipped Me” implies prioritizing Saguna Śiva-upāsanā (often through Liṅga-arcana) before taking food, making daily life an offering and strengthening bhakti.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Observe Ekādaśī with dietary restraint, perform evening/night worship of Śiva (Liṅga-arcana), and then take a simple night meal; accompany the pūjā with japa such as the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).