Shloka 44

यममार्गे सुखदायकधर्माः

Dharmas that Grant Ease on the Path to Yama

Devanagari script

घोषयंति च पानानि शुभान्यथ सहस्रशः । भक्ष्यभोज्यमयाश्शैला वासांस्याभरणानि च

Transliteration

ghoṣayaṃti ca pānāni śubhānyatha sahasraśaḥ | bhakṣyabhojyamayāśśailā vāsāṃsyābharaṇāni ca

Translation

They proclaim, by the thousands, auspicious drinks; and there are mountains made of foods to be eaten and enjoyed, along with garments and ornaments as well.

Word by Word

• घोषयन्ति: proclaim, resound
• घोषयन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: घोषय् (धातु, णिच् causative of घोष्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पानानि: drinks
• पानानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (plural)

• शुभानि: auspicious, excellent
• शुभानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण to 'पानानि'

• अथ: then, moreover
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक/प्रसङ्गार्थक (then/and further)

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• सहस्रशः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संख्याप्रकारवाचक (by thousands, in thousands)

• भक्ष्य-भोज्य-मयाः: consisting of eatables and foods
• भक्ष्य-भोज्य-मयाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भोज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural); विशेषण to 'शैलाः'

• शैलाः: mountains
• शैलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• वासांसि: garments
• वासांसि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (plural)

• आभरणानि: ornaments
• आभरणानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचन (plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Heavenly ‘bhoga’ is poetically externalized: countless auspicious drinks and heaps ‘like mountains’ of edible foods, plus garments and ornaments—karmic fruition of feeding others.

Significance: Reinforces the dharma of hospitality and feeding as a high merit act; in Śaiva communities, annadāna is a hallmark of temple festivals and pilgrim care.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Annapūrṇā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse depicts abundance of auspicious offerings and enjoyments, highlighting that worldly or heavenly “bhoga” can be vast; in Shaiva Siddhanta, such splendor is still secondary to devotion that leads the soul (paśu) beyond bonds (pāśa) toward Shiva (Pati) and liberation.

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

The imagery of drinks, foods, garments, and ornaments aligns with Saguna Shiva worship where the devotee offers upacharas (services) to the Linga—naivedya, vastra, and alankara—transforming material abundance into consecrated devotion directed to Shiva’s manifest presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is upachara-puja: offer pure food and drink as naivedya, adorn the Linga with clean cloth and simple alankara, and internally dedicate the act with japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namah Shivaya,” treating offerings as instruments of bhakti rather than mere enjoyment.