Shloka 24

भोजन-आह्वान-प्रकरणम् — The Episode of Invitation and the Divine Feast

Devanagari script

एतादृशगृहं सर्वदृष्टाश्चर्य्यं महेश्वरः । प्रशंसन् हिमशैलेशं परितुष्टो बभूव ह

Transliteration

etādṛśagṛhaṃ sarvadṛṣṭāścaryyaṃ maheśvaraḥ | praśaṃsan himaśaileśaṃ parituṣṭo babhūva ha

Translation

Seeing such a dwelling—marvellous beyond anything ever witnessed—Mahādeva praised the lord of Himālaya and became fully pleased.

Word by Word

• एतादृशगृहं: such a house
• एतादृशगृहं: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतादृश-गृह (प्रातिपदिक; एतादृश + गृह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (एतादृशं गृहं)

• सर्वदृष्टाश्चर्य्यं: wonderful to all who saw (it)
• सर्वदृष्टाश्चर्य्यं: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-दृष्ट-अश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + दृष्ट + अश्चर्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषार्थे (सर्वैः दृष्टम् अश्चर्यम् = by all seen/wonderful)

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Śiva)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• प्रशंसन्: praising
• प्रशंसन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-शंस् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• हिमशैलेशं: the lord of the Himālaya mountain (Himavān)
• हिमशैलेशं: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिम-शैल-ईश (प्रातिपदिक; हिम + शैल + ईश)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हिमशैलस्य ईशः)

• परितुष्टः: fully pleased
• परितुष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-तुष् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बभूव: became/was
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/indeed

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: This is a domestic-courtly moment in the Himālaya marriage narrative: Śiva’s pleasure (parituṣṭi) at Himavān’s offering foreshadows blessings—anugraha—bestowed upon the host and the cosmic order through the divine union.

Significance: Models bhakti as hospitality and offering: sincere, excellent ‘gṛha/ālaya’ (outer and inner) prepared for Śiva invites grace.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati
• Himavan

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that when devotion and righteous hospitality are offered with purity, Mahādeva becomes parituṣṭa (fully pleased), indicating the Shaiva Siddhānta emphasis on divine grace (anugraha) arising from sincere bhakti and dharma.

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

Mahādeva’s visible delight shows Saguna Śiva responding to devotion in the world; similarly, Linga-worship is a concrete, sacred way to honor Śiva, where sincere offerings and reverence cultivate His grace and auspicious presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is to perform pūjā with reverence that pleases Śiva—daily Linga-archana with the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supporting Shaiva observances where appropriate.