Shloka 31

पार्थिवप्रतिमापूजाविधानम्

Pārthiva-pratimā Pūjā-vidhāna — Procedure for Worship of an Earthen Icon

Devanagari script

नित्यनैमित्तिकं कालात्सद्यः काम्ये स्वनुष्ठिते । नित्यं मासं च पक्षं च वर्षं चैव यथाक्रमम्

Transliteration

nityanaimittikaṃ kālātsadyaḥ kāmye svanuṣṭhite | nityaṃ māsaṃ ca pakṣaṃ ca varṣaṃ caiva yathākramam

Translation

Obligatory and occasional rites yield their fruit in due time; but a kāmya rite, performed properly for a desired end, brings its result at once. In order, the periods are: immediate (for kāmya), and for the others—daily, monthly, fortnightly, and yearly.

Word by Word

• नित्य-नैमित्तिकम्: the regular and the occasional (rites)
• नित्य-नैमित्तिकम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + नैमित्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (नित्यं च नैमित्तिकं च) समाहार

• कालात्: from time/according to time
• कालात्: अपादान (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सद्यः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (immediately)

• काम्ये: in a desire-motivated (rite)
• काम्ये: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; 'काम्यकर्मणि' इत्यर्थे (in a desire-motivated rite)

• सु-अनुष्ठिते: when well-performed
• सु-अनुष्ठिते: विशेषण (to kāmye)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुष्ठित (कृदन्त; √स्था/√स्थि धातु with अनु-उपसर्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) with उपपद 'सु-' = well-performed

• नित्यम्: regularly/always
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• मासम्: (for) a month
• मासम्: कालाधिकरण (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (accusative of duration)

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

• पक्षम्: (for) a fortnight
• पक्षम्: कालाधिकरण (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण

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

• वर्षम्: (for) a year
• वर्षम्: कालाधिकरण (Duration/काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• यथा-क्रमम्: in proper sequence
• यथा-क्रमम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (in due order)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Explains temporal maturation of karma-phala (nitya/naimittika vs kāmya). In Siddhānta, this maps to pāśa as karmic bondage whose fruits ripen by time; liberation requires Śiva’s anugraha beyond mere karma.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It distinguishes duties done as dharma (nitya/naimittika) from desire-driven rites (kāmya), teaching that disciplined, regular observance ripens results over time, while kāmya aims at quick, worldly outcomes—encouraging the seeker to prefer steady Shiva-oriented practice.

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

Linga-worship is ideally a nitya practice—steady, devotional service to Saguna Shiva—performed without bargaining for immediate rewards; the verse frames such regular worship as a time-tested purifier that matures the soul toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain nitya Shiva-upāsanā—daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple Linga-pūjā—while observing periodic vows (fortnightly/monthly/yearly) as naimittika disciplines, prioritizing purity and consistency over desire-based ritualism.