Shloka 1

अग्नियज्ञ-देवयज्ञ-ब्रह्मयज्ञ-गुरुपूजा-क्रमनिरूपणम् / Ordering and Definitions of Agniyajña, Devayajña, Brahmayajña, and Guru-Pūjā

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । अग्नियज्ञं देवयज्क्तं ब्रह्मयज्क्तं तथैव च । गुरुपूजां ब्रह्मतृप्तिं क्रमेण ब्रूहि नः प्रभो

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | agniyajñaṃ devayajktaṃ brahmayajktaṃ tathaiva ca | gurupūjāṃ brahmatṛptiṃ krameṇa brūhi naḥ prabho

Translation

The sages said: “O Lord, explain to us in due order the Agni-sacrifice, the worship offered to the gods, the Brahma-yajña as well, the honoring of the Guru, and the means by which Brahman (the Supreme Reality) is satisfied.”

Word by Word

• ṛṣayaḥ: the sages
• ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• agni-yajñam: Agni-sacrifice
• agni-yajñam: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘tell’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound अग्नि + यज्ञ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• deva-yajñam: deva-sacrifice
• deva-yajñam: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘tell’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); reading normalized from devayajktaṃ → devayajñam (देवयज्ञम्)

• brahma-yajñam: Brahma/veda-sacrifice
• brahma-yajñam: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘tell’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); reading normalized from brahmayajktaṃ → brahmayajñam (ब्रह्मयज्ञम्)

• tathā: also/likewise
• tathā: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (तथा), indeclinable (अव्यय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Nipāta (निपात/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/and)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय), indeclinable (अव्यय)

• guru-pūjām: worship of the guru
• guru-pūjām: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘tell’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru + pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound गुरु + पूजा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• brahma-tṛptim: satisfaction of Brahman/Brahmins
• brahma-tṛptim: Karma (कर्म/object of ‘tell’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + tṛpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound ब्रह्मन् + तृप्ति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• krameṇa: in order
• krameṇa: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); used adverbially ‘in order/stepwise’

• brūhi: tell (you)
• brūhi: Kriyā (क्रिया/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• naḥ: to us
• naḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• prabho: O Lord
• prabho: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

The sages (ṛṣis) of Naimiṣāraṇya speaking to Sūta Gosvāmin (implied narrative frame of the Purāṇa)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Devas
• Brahman
• Guru

FAQs

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

It frames a disciplined ladder of practice—ritual (yajña), devotional worship (deva-yajña), sacred study (brahma-yajña), and surrender to the Guru—culminating in what truly pleases the Supreme Reality, understood in Shaiva Siddhanta as Pati (Shiva) granting grace and clarity.

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

By asking for the correct sequence of worship, the sages imply that outer rites and deity-worship should mature into focused devotion and right knowledge; in the Shiva Purana this culminates naturally in Saguna Shiva-upāsanā such as Linga worship, which purifies the devotee and opens the way to realizing the Supreme.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to structured sādhana: performing sacred offerings (yajña), daily deity worship, scriptural recitation/study (brahma-yajña), and Guru-sevā; these support mantra-japa and inner contemplation that lead toward Brahman-tṛpti (the Supreme’s satisfaction).