Shloka 18

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

शिवार्चनं रुद्रजपं उपवासश्शिवालये । वाराणस्यां च मरणं मुक्तिरेषा सनातनी

Transliteration

śivārcanaṃ rudrajapaṃ upavāsaśśivālaye | vārāṇasyāṃ ca maraṇaṃ muktireṣā sanātanī

Translation

Worship of Śiva, repetition of Rudra-mantras, and fasting in a Śiva-temple—and also dying in Vārāṇasī: this is the eternal liberation (mokṣa).

Word by Word

• शिवार्चनम्: worship of Śiva
• शिवार्चनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य अर्चनम्)

• रुद्रजपम्: japa of Rudra (mantra-recitation)
• रुद्रजपम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र-जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रुद्रस्य जपः)

• उपवासः: fasting
• उपवासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• शिवालये: in a Śiva-temple
• शिवालये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य आलयः)

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• एषा: this
• एषा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• सनातनी: eternal
• सनातनी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kotirudra Samhita teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī is celebrated as Śiva’s own city where liberation is specially granted; the tradition holds that Śiva bestows the saving ‘tāraka’ upadeśa at the time of death in Kāśī.

Significance: Dying in Kāśī is extolled as conferring mokṣa; worship/japa/fasting in Śiva’s abode intensifies merit and grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: rudram

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Varanasi (Kashi)

FAQs

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

The verse summarizes core Shaiva means to liberation—Śiva-bhakti expressed through worship, mantra-japa, and disciplined observance—and adds the Purāṇic doctrine that Kashi (Vārāṇasī), as Śiva’s own kṣetra, is uniquely conducive to mokṣa by Śiva’s grace.

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

Śivārcana and temple-upavāsa directly imply Saguna worship—approaching Śiva through His accessible form and presence in the shrine (commonly the Liṅga). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, such worship purifies the paśu (bound soul) and prepares it for Śiva’s anugraha (saving grace) leading to mokṣa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It recommends (1) Śiva-arcana (daily puja/offerings to Śiva, often to the Liṅga), (2) Rudra-japa (repetition of Rudra mantras such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and related Rudra formulas), and (3) upavāsa (fasting/vrata) especially in a Śiva temple—practices also emphasized for Mahāśivarātri observance.