Shloka 58

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

धेनुमुद्रां प्रदर्श्याथ सुजलैस्तर्पणं चरेत् । पंचब्राह्मणभोजं च कल्पयेद्वै यथाबलम्

Transliteration

dhenumudrāṃ pradarśyātha sujalaistarpaṇaṃ caret | paṃcabrāhmaṇabhojaṃ ca kalpayedvai yathābalam

Translation

Then, showing the Dhenumudrā, one should perform tarpaṇa with pure water. Thereafter, according to one’s capacity, one should arrange the feeding of five brāhmaṇas—an offering that upholds dharma and pleases Lord Śiva.

Word by Word

• धेनुमुद्राम्: the ‘cow’ hand-gesture (dhenumudrā)
• धेनुमुद्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु + मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धेनोः मुद्रा)

• प्रदर्श्य: having shown
• प्रदर्श्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); having shown

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरबोधक निपात (particle: ‘then/thereupon’)

• सुजलैः: with good/pure waters
• सुजलैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + जल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सु जलानि), instrumental plural

• तर्पणम्: libation/satiatory offering (tarpaṇa)
• तर्पणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (neuter)

• चरेत्: should perform
• चरेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3rd sg

• पञ्चब्राह्मणभोजम्: feeding of five brāhmaṇas
• पञ्चब्राह्मणभोजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + ब्राह्मण + भोज (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (i) पञ्चब्राह्मण = द्विगु (five brāhmaṇas) used as prior member; (ii) तत्पुरुष: पञ्चब्राह्मणानां भोजः/भोजनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• कल्पयेत्: should arrange/prepare
• कल्पयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3rd sg

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

• यथाबलम्: according to ability
• यथाबलम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + बल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial): ‘according to (one’s) strength/capacity’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Links personal worship to social dharma: tarpaṇa and brāhmaṇa-bhojana purify the paśu’s karmic bonds (pāśa) and invite Śiva’s grace as Paśupati, lord of embodied beings.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Śiva-worship is completed not only by mantra and offering, but also by purification (tarpaṇa with pure water) and compassionate dharmic giving (feeding brāhmaṇas), done within one’s means—aligning devotion with right action.

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

In Saguna Śiva/Liṅga worship, external rites culminate in acts that extend sacredness into life—water-libations and feeding the worthy—so the devotee’s bhakti becomes lived dharma, pleasing the Lord who is present in the ritual and in all beings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform tarpaṇa with clean water after showing Dhenumudrā, and conclude by arranging pañca-brāhmaṇa-bhojana (feeding five brāhmaṇas) according to capacity; this functions as a practical completion (pūrṇatā) of the worship.