Shloka 85

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

प्रतिमासं व्रतं चैव कर्तव्यं भक्तितो नरैः । उद्यापनविधिं पश्चात्कृत्वा सांगफलं लभेत्

Transliteration

pratimāsaṃ vrataṃ caiva kartavyaṃ bhaktito naraiḥ | udyāpanavidhiṃ paścātkṛtvā sāṃgaphalaṃ labhet

Translation

Men should indeed observe this vow every month with devotion. Thereafter, having duly performed the concluding rite (udyāpana) according to rule, one attains the complete fruit of the observance, in all its parts.

Word by Word

• pratimāsam: every month
• pratimāsam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय) + māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः = 'प्रति मासम्' (each month)

• vratam: the vow
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular neuter

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम्; conjunction

• eva: indeed; certainly
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपातः; emphatic/limiting particle

• kartavyam: should be performed
• kartavyam: Vidhi (विधेय/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tavya (तव्य)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्/तव्य-प्रत्यय), विधिलिङ्गार्थक-कर्तव्यता; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; gerundive 'to be done' agreeing with 'vratam'

• bhaktitaḥ: out of devotion; with devotion
• bhaktitaḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Ablative singular used adverbially (hetu)

• naraiḥ: by men; by people
• naraiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• udyāpanavidhim: the concluding-rite procedure
• udyāpanavidhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udyāpana (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (udyāpanasya vidhiḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular masculine

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम्; adverb = 'afterwards'

• kṛtvā: having performed
• kṛtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tvā (त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त; absolutive/gerund = 'having done'

• sāṃgaphalam: complete fruit (with all auxiliaries)
• sāṃgaphalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa-aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (sāṅgaṃ phalaṃ = 'fruit along with its parts/ancillaries'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular neuter

• labhet: may obtain; would gain
• labhet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (लभ् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; 'may obtain/should obtain'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes disciplined periodic practice (monthly vrata) and udyāpana (proper completion), reflecting sustained sādhana that stabilizes devotion and ripens full phala.

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 devotion (bhakti) must be joined with disciplined, regular observance, and that spiritual merit becomes “complete” when a vow is properly concluded through udyāpana—reflecting the Shaiva emphasis on sincere practice carried through to fulfillment.

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

Monthly vrata practice commonly centers on Saguna Shiva worship—often through Linga-pūjā, mantra, and offerings—and the verse stresses that such worship yields its full promised fruit when the prescribed concluding rites are performed.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A monthly Shiva-vrata performed with bhakti, followed by udyāpana (formal completion), typically supported by Shiva-pūjā, japa (e.g., Panchakshara), and other vow-auxiliaries as prescribed in the vrata tradition.