Shloka 27

Devanagari script

बहुमानमथाह्वानमभ्यंगं पादसेवनम् । वासो गंधाद्यर्चनं च घृतापूपरसोत्तरम्

Transliteration

bahumānamathāhvānamabhyaṃgaṃ pādasevanam | vāso gaṃdhādyarcanaṃ ca ghṛtāpūparasottaram

Translation

One should honor Śiva with deep reverence and ritual invitation, with anointing (abhyanga) and service at His feet; with the offering of garments and worship by fragrances and the like; and then with excellent offerings of ghee and sweet cakes, together with choice nectarean refreshments.

Word by Word

• बहुमानम्: honour; respect
• बहुमानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहुमान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (सूचीपद/कर्मपद-रूपेण)

• अथ: then; and
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence particle)

• आह्वानम्: invitation; calling
• आह्वानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आह्वान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अभ्यङ्गम्: oil massage
• अभ्यङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पाद-सेवनम्: service of the feet
• पाद-सेवनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—पादयोः सेवनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वासः: garment; cloth
• वासः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (रूपम्: वासः = वासः/वासः-शब्दस्य द्वितीया एकवचन)

• गन्ध-आदि-अर्चनम्: worship with perfumes etc.
• गन्ध-आदि-अर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—गन्धादीनाम् अर्चनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• घृत-आपूप-रस-उत्तरम्: the best of ghee, cakes, and juices (offerings)
• घृत-आपूप-रस-उत्तरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घृत (प्रातिपदिक) + आपूप (प्रातिपदिक) + रस (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—घृतं च आपूपः च रसः च (उपपद-समाहार) तेषाम् उत्तरम्/उत्तमम् (determinative)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva-worship procedure to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As this is in the Viśveśvara-saṃhitā, the ritual upacāras are framed as worship of Viśveśvara (Lord of the universe) at Kāśī, where Śiva grants liberation and accepts even simple offerings when made with bhakti.

Significance: Upacāra-pūjā and naivedya offered to Viśveśvara are taught as means to purify the paśu (bound soul) and invite Śiva’s anugraha; feeding and honoring devotees/brāhmaṇas is treated as an extension of Śiva-sevā.

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion is expressed through concrete acts of reverence—invoking the Lord, serving His feet, and offering pure, sattvic gifts—so the devotee’s love becomes disciplined worship (upacāra) that purifies the soul (paśu) and turns it toward Pati, Śiva.

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

These are standard upacāras offered to Saguna Śiva as the Śiva-liṅga: respectful āhvāna, anointing/ablution-like service, vastra, gandha, and naivedya. Through such tangible offerings, the mind is steadied and led from form-based worship toward inner contemplation of Śiva’s supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā with upacāras—invite Śiva, offer gandha and vastra, and present pure naivedya like ghee and sweets—while maintaining humility (pādasevā-bhāva) and inwardly repeating the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” to keep the act devotional rather than merely ceremonial.