Shloka 39

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

चतुर्ष्वपि च यामेषु मूर्तीनां च चतुष्टयम् । कृत्वावाहनपूर्वं हि विसर्गावधि वै क्रमात्

Transliteration

caturṣvapi ca yāmeṣu mūrtīnāṃ ca catuṣṭayam | kṛtvāvāhanapūrvaṃ hi visargāvadhi vai kramāt

Translation

In each of the four watches of the day, one should, in due order, first invoke the four manifestations (of the Lord), and then continue the rite step by step until the concluding dismissal (visarga).

Word by Word

• चतुर्षु: in four
• चतुर्षु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (locative plural)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘also/even’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• यामेषु: in the watches (periods)
• यामेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचनम्

• मूर्तीनाम्: of the forms (mūrtis)
• मूर्तीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचनम् (genitive plural)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चतुष्टयम्: a set of four
• चतुष्टयम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; ‘group of four’

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having done’

• आवाहनपूर्वम्: with invocation as the first (step)
• आवाहनपूर्वम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आवाहन (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (पूर्वपद-निर्देशः) ‘with invocation first’

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेतौ/निश्चये ‘indeed/for’

• विसर्गावधि: up to the dismissal (visarga)
• विसर्गावधि: अधिकरण/परिमाण (Limit/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः ‘up to the dismissal/visarga’

• वै: certainly
• वै: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थे ‘certainly’

• क्रमात्: in due order
• क्रमात्: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचनम्; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘in order/stepwise’ (ablative of manner)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Ritual-krama instruction: four yāmas (watches) of Śivarātri with sequential āvāhana and concluding visarga; not a Jyotirliṅga origin episode.

Significance: Observing the four-yāma sequence is presented as completeness (pūrṇatā) of Śivarātri worship, aligning time-discipline with devotion.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: oṃ namaḥ śivāya

Type: panchakshara

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that saguna-upasana must be done with steadiness and order: invoking Shiva’s manifested presence and completing the worship properly, so devotion becomes disciplined and mind becomes fit for Shiva’s grace.

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

It describes the standard puja-krama used in Linga worship—beginning with āvāhana (invocation of Shiva into the worship-focus) and ending with visarga (formal dismissal), emphasizing reverent engagement with Saguna Shiva while remembering His transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform worship in four daily periods (or in four segments of a rite), invoking the intended forms with mantra (such as the Panchakshara, Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and conclude with proper visarga—maintaining purity, focus, and devotional continuity.