Shloka 1

अध्याय ४९ — विवाहानुष्ठाने ब्रह्मणः काममोहः

Brahmā’s Enchantment by Desire during the Wedding Rites

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । अथो ममाज्ञया विप्रैस्संस्थाप्यानलमीश्वरः । होमं चकार तत्रैवमङ्के संस्थाप्य पार्वतीम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | atho mamājñayā vipraissaṃsthāpyānalamīśvaraḥ | homaṃ cakāra tatraivamaṅke saṃsthāpya pārvatīm

Translation

Brahmā said: Then, by my command, the revered brāhmaṇas duly established the sacred fire. Thereupon the Lord performed the homa right there, having seated Pārvatī upon His lap.

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: वच् (to speak)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (indeclinable: then/now)

• u: indeed/and
• u: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: u (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; often emphatic)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• ājñayā: by (my) command
• ājñayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• vipraiḥ: by the brāhmaṇas
• vipraiḥ: Sahakārī/Karaṇa (सहकारी/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• saṃsthāpya: having established
• saṃsthāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); उपसर्ग: सम्-; धातु: स्था (to place/establish); अर्थ: ‘having established/placed’

• analam: fire (Agni)
• analam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• īśvaraḥ: the Lord
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• homam: the fire-offering (homa)
• homam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• cakāra: performed
• cakāra: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: कृ (to do)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण/place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place: there)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic: just/indeed)

• aṅke: on the lap
• aṅke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṅka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• saṃsthāpya: having placed
• saṃsthāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); उपसर्ग: सम्-; धातु: स्था; अर्थ: ‘having placed’

• pārvatīm: Pārvatī
• pārvatīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; depicts Vedic-ritual orthopraxy (agni-saṃsthāpana and homa) integrated into the divine marriage liturgy, under Brahmā’s officiating authority.

Significance: Affirms the sanctity of gṛhya/vaidika homa as a dharmic support for saṃskāra; hearing this episode is treated as dharma-affirming and auspicious for householders.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva as the divine Lord who sanctifies the rite of homa, showing that sacred action becomes liberating when centered on Pati (Śiva) and performed with devotion and right order (ājñā, vidhi). Pārvatī seated on His lap signals the inseparable unity of Śiva-Śakti behind all auspicious rites.

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

The verse emphasizes Saguna worship—approaching Śiva as the personal Lord who receives and empowers ritual offerings. Even when the Liṅga is not named here, the homa context aligns with Purāṇic-Āgamic practice where offerings and mantras are ultimately directed to Śiva as the visible, gracious form accessible to devotees.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

It points to homa (fire-offering) performed under proper guidance and with Śiva-bhakti. As a takeaway, one may combine disciplined japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with simple lamp/fire offering, mentally honoring the unity of Śiva and Pārvatī while maintaining purity and steadiness.