Shloka 5

गिरिराजस्य शिवनिमन्त्रणम् / The Mountain-King Invites Śiva

Hospitality to Śiva and the Devas

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्युक्त्वा बहु शैलेशः करौ बद्ध्वा प्रणम्य च । प्रभुन्निमन्त्रयामास सह विष्णुसुरादिभिः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityuktvā bahu śaileśaḥ karau baddhvā praṇamya ca | prabhunnimantrayāmāsa saha viṣṇusurādibhiḥ

Translation

Brahmā said: Having spoken thus, the great Lord of the mountains, joining his hands in reverence and bowing down, invited the Supreme Lord, together with Viṣṇu and the gods and others.

Word by Word

ब्रह्माBrahmā

उवाचsaid

इतिthus

उक्त्वाhaving spoken

बहुmuch / greatly

शैलेशःthe lord of the mountain (Himālaya)

करौ(his) two hands

बद्ध्वाhaving bound (joined)

प्रणम्यhaving bowed

चand

प्रभुम्the Lord

निमन्त्रयामासinvited

सहtogether with

विष्णुसुरादिभिःwith Viṣṇu, the gods, and others

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

Brahma

Himalaya (Shailesha)

Shiva (Prabhu)

Vishnu

Devas

FAQs

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

It highlights śaraṇāgati (humble surrender): even the mightiest—Himālaya with the devas—approach the Supreme Lord through folded hands and reverent bowing, affirming Shiva as the highest refuge (Pati).

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

The verse models Saguna-upāsanā: approaching the personal Lord (Prabhu) with devotion and formal invitation, the same bhakti-attitude used in Liṅga worship through āvāhana (invocation) and namaskāra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice namaskāra with añjali-mudrā (joined palms) before Shiva—beginning pūjā with āvāhana (inviting the Lord)—and mentally invite Shiva into the heart with the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”