Shloka 23

Umāyāḥ Kriyāyoga-Rahasya

The Esoteric Teaching on Umā’s Kriyāyoga

Devanagari script

प्रतिमाः कारयेद्यस्तु सर्वलक्षणलक्षिताः । स उमायाः परं लोकं निर्भयो व्रजति धुवम्

Transliteration

pratimāḥ kārayedyastu sarvalakṣaṇalakṣitāḥ | sa umāyāḥ paraṃ lokaṃ nirbhayo vrajati dhuvam

Translation

Whoever commissions sacred images (pratimās) endowed with all the auspicious marks and canonical features, that devotee—free from fear—surely attains the supreme world of Umā.

Word by Word

• pratimāḥ: images, idols
• pratimāḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• kārayet: should have (them) made
• kārayet: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-सम्भाव्य (optative/imperative sense), प्रथमपुरुष? actually 3rd person singular, परस्मैपद; causative (णिच्): 'should cause to be made'

• yaḥ: who (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• sarva-lakṣaṇa-lakṣitāḥ: endowed with all (proper) marks
• sarva-lakṣaṇa-lakṣitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Adjective of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva-lakṣaṇa-lakṣita (प्रातिपदिक; components: sarva + lakṣaṇa + lakṣita)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); तत्पुरुषः (sarvaiḥ lakṣaṇaiḥ lakṣitāḥ = marked with all characteristics) qualifying pratimāḥ

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• umāyāḥ: of Umā
• umāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: umā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• param: supreme, highest
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); qualifying lokaṃ

• lokam: world, realm
• lokam: Karma (कर्म/Goal object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• nirbhayaḥ: fearless
• nirbhayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirbhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); adverbial/predicative with saḥ

• vrajati: goes
• vrajati: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vraj (व्रज् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• dhruvam: certainly
• dhruvam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative: certainly/indeed)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Uma Samhita discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Characters & Entities

• Parvati (Uma)

FAQs

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

It teaches that serving the divine through properly made and auspiciously featured sacred images is a valid Saguna path that removes fear and leads the devotee to Umā’s exalted realm—signifying grace, protection, and spiritual ascent under Shaiva-Shakta devotion.

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

The verse affirms image-based (Saguna) worship as scripturally fruitful. In Shaiva practice, devotion to Umā complements devotion to Shiva/Śiva-liṅga, since Umā’s grace supports the devotee’s approach to Pati (Shiva) and steadies the mind toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Commissioning and installing an image according to śāstra (proper lakṣaṇas), followed by regular pūjā—offering, mantra-japa, and remembrance—serves as the implied practice; it emphasizes disciplined devotional worship rather than a specific item like rudrākṣa or bhasma in this verse.