Shloka 51

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

गुरुदत्तेन मंत्रेण पूजयेद्वृषभध्जम् । अन्यथा नाममंत्रेण पूजयेद्वै सदाशिवम्

Transliteration

gurudattena maṃtreṇa pūjayedvṛṣabhadhjam | anyathā nāmamaṃtreṇa pūjayedvai sadāśivam

Translation

One should worship the Lord whose banner bears the Bull (Śiva) with the mantra bestowed by one’s Guru. Otherwise, one should worship Sadāśiva with His name-mantra.

Word by Word

• गुरुदत्तेन: given by the guru
• गुरुदत्तेन: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरुदत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तृतीया/षष्ठीभाव: ‘गुरुणा दत्तेन’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘मन्त्रेण’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• मन्त्रेण: with a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वृषभध्वजम्: the one whose banner is the bull (Śiva)
• वृषभध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘वृषभः ध्वजः यस्य’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (otherwise)

• नाममन्त्रेण: with a name-mantra
• नाममन्त्रेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाम + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठीभाव: ‘नाम-रूपो मन्त्रः’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (indeed)

• सदाशिवम्: Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा + शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘सदा शिवः’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sadashiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that mantra-worship is ideally grounded in Guru-bestowed initiation (dīkṣā), yet also affirms that sincere devotion through Śiva’s Name is a valid path to grace.

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

It supports Saguna worship—approaching Śiva as the Bull-bannered Lord—through a proper mantra received in lineage; if that is unavailable, one may still worship Sadāśiva through nāma-mantra (reverent repetition of His Names).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform pūjā or japa using the mantra given by one’s Guru; if not initiated, practice nāma-japa such as repeating “Śiva”/“Sadāśiva” (and commonly, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with devotion and purity of intention.