Shloka 8

मेनावरलाभवर्णनम् — Description of Menā’s Attainment of Boons

and the worship leading to Umā’s advent

Devanagari script

अष्टम्यामुपवासन्तु कृत्वादान्नवमीतिथौ । मोदकैर्बलिपिष्टैश्च पायसैर्गन्धपुष्पकैः

Transliteration

aṣṭamyāmupavāsantu kṛtvādānnavamītithau | modakairbalipiṣṭaiśca pāyasairgandhapuṣpakaiḥ

Translation

Let them fast on the eighth lunar day; and on the ninth tithi, after making offerings, let them worship with sweet modakas, ritual portions of flour, pāyasa (milk-rice pudding), and fragrant flowers.

Word by Word

• अष्टम्याम्: on the eighth (tithi)
• अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (tithi-name)

• उपवासम्: fasting
• उपवासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• अदात्: gave
• अदात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• नवमी: on the ninth (tithi)
• नवमी: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (tithi-name)

• तिथौ: on the lunar day
• तिथौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोदकैः: with modakas (sweet dumplings)
• मोदकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बलिपिष्टैः: with sacrificial flour-cakes
• बलिपिष्टैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि + पिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (बलेः पिष्टम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पायसैः: with rice-pudding
• पायसैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गन्धपुष्पकैः: with fragrant flowers
• गन्धपुष्पकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध + पुष्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भावः (गन्धयुक्तानि पुष्पकानि)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a specific Jyotirliṅga; it prescribes a vrata-pattern (aṣṭamī upavāsa, navamī dāna/pūjā) using sweet offerings, aligning devotion with calendrical discipline.

Significance: Highlights vrata as a means of mala-kṣaya (impurity attenuation) and receptivity to grace; food-offerings symbolize surrender of enjoyment (bhoga) into worship.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Annapūrṇā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Explicit tithi-discipline: aṣṭamī fast followed by navamī dāna/pūjā.

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches disciplined devotion: self-restraint through fasting (upavāsa) followed by reverent giving and worship, aligning the devotee’s body and mind toward Śiva’s grace in a sāttvika, dharmic way.

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

The verse describes external upacāras (offerings such as sweets, pāyasa, and flowers) suitable for Saguna worship—commonly expressed through Śiva-pūjā, including Liṅga worship—where devotion is embodied through ritual acts and purity observances.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Observe a vrata: fast on Aṣṭamī, then on Navamī perform offerings and pūjā with sāttvika items (food offerings and fragrant flowers), ideally accompanied by Śiva-mantra japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).