Shloka 4

हिमवतः सुमङ्गलोत्सव-नगररचना

Himavān’s Auspicious Festival Preparations and City Adornment

Devanagari script

मालतीमाल्यसंयुक्तं लसत्तोरणसुप्रभम् । शोभितम्मंगलद्रव्यैश्चतुर्दिक्षु स्थितैश्शुभैः

Transliteration

mālatīmālyasaṃyuktaṃ lasattoraṇasuprabham | śobhitammaṃgaladravyaiścaturdikṣu sthitaiśśubhaiḥ

Translation

It was adorned with garlands of mālatī blossoms; its shining festoons and torana-arches glowed with beauty. Auspicious sacred articles were arranged in the four directions, and by those holy placements it appeared splendid—fit for worship of the auspicious Lord Śiva.

Word by Word

• mālatī-mālya-saṃyuktam: decorated with mālatī garlands
• mālatī-mālya-saṃyuktam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mālatī (प्रातिपदिक) + mālya (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyukta (संयुक्त, कृदन्त; √yuj)
• Form: तत्पुरुषार्थ ‘joined with mālatī-garlands’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• lasat-toraṇa-su-prabham: with shining gateways, very splendid
• lasat-toraṇa-su-prabham: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lasat (लसत्, कृदन्त; √las) + toraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + su (अव्यय-उपसर्ग/उपपद) + prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/बहुपद-समास: ‘having shining gateways and splendid radiance’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• śobhitam: adorned
• śobhitam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śobhita (शोभित, कृदन्त; √śubh/√śobh)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण (past participle)

• maṅgala-dravyaiḥ: with auspicious items
• maṅgala-dravyaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṅgala (प्रातिपदिक) + dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय ‘auspicious + materials’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• catur-dikṣu: in the four directions
• catur-dikṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास ‘four directions’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• sthitaiḥ: placed/standing
• sthitaiḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthita (स्थित, कृदन्त; √sthā)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण (qualifying śubhaiḥ)

• śubhaiḥ: by auspicious (ones/things)
• śubhaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (understood: ‘people/things’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that outer purity and beauty—flowers, toranas, and auspicious placements—support inner bhakti; such ordered sacred space helps the devotee approach Śiva as the supremely auspicious Pati (Lord) who grants grace.

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

It describes the proper embellishment of the worship setting, a key feature of Saguna upāsanā where the Liṅga or Śiva’s presence is honored through visible offerings and sanctified arrangement, focusing the mind on Śiva’s auspiciousness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare a clean worship space, decorate with fragrant flowers and auspicious items in the four directions, then perform Śiva-pūjā with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to steady attention and devotion.