Shloka 45

Umāyāḥ Kriyāyoga-Rahasya

The Esoteric Teaching on Umā’s Kriyāyoga

Devanagari script

धूपेनाष्टादशांगेन दद्यादाहुतिमुत्तमाम् । नीराजनं चरेद्देव्या स्साज्यकर्पूरवर्तिभिः

Transliteration

dhūpenāṣṭādaśāṃgena dadyādāhutimuttamām | nīrājanaṃ careddevyā ssājyakarpūravartibhiḥ

Translation

With incense prepared from the eighteen sacred ingredients, one should offer the finest oblation. Thereafter, one should perform nīrājana (ārati) for the Goddess, using wicks made with ghee and camphor.

Word by Word

• धूपेन: with incense
• धूपेन: Karaṇa (करणम्/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• अष्टादश-अङ्गेन: with (incense) of eighteen ingredients
• अष्टादश-अङ्गेन: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास 'अष्टादशाङ्ग' = 'having eighteen parts' qualifying धूपेन (incense of eighteen ingredients)

• दद्यात्: should offer/give
• दद्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आहुतिम्: an oblation
• आहुतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• उत्तमाम्: excellent
• उत्तमाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; agrees with आहुतिम्

• नीराजनम्: ārati (waving of lights)
• नीराजनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीराजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• चरेत्: should perform
• चरेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देव्याः: of the Goddess / for the Goddess
• देव्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• साज्य-कर्पूर-वर्तिभिः: with wicks (made) with ghee and camphor
• साज्य-कर्पूर-वर्तिभिः: Karaṇa (करणम्/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ 'with') + आज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्पूर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (वर्ति), तृतीया (3rd case), बहुवचन; 'साज्य' = 'with ghee' as first member; compound qualifies the instrument for nīrājana

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not Jyotirliṅga-related; prescribes dhūpa (incense) of eighteen ingredients, offering āhuti, and performing nīrājana with ghee-and-camphor wicks—standard temple upacāras for Devī.

Significance: Encourages complete worship with upacāras (dhūpa, dīpa/ārati, āhuti), marking ‘proper worship’ as both devotional and liturgically correct.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Lalitā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches that precise, reverent outer worship—offering fragrant dhūpa and performing nīrājana—purifies the senses and steadies devotion, making the mind fit for Śiva-Śakti contemplation in a Shaiva Siddhanta spirit.

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

Although addressed to Devī, the worship is part of Śiva-Śakti devotion where Saguna forms are honored through ritual; such upacāras (offerings like dhūpa and ārati) cultivate bhakti that supports deeper realization of Śiva as Pati.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform dhūpa offering (ideally a traditional multi-ingredient incense) and then ārati with ghee-and-camphor wicks, maintaining a focused, mantra-supported awareness (japa) during the offering.