Shloka 148

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

Bondage and Liberation: The Prakṛti–Karma Wheel and Śiva as the Transcendent Cause

Devanagari script

प्रदक्षिणनमस्काराः शिवस्य परमात्मनः । षोडशैरुपचारैश्च कृतपूजा फलप्रदा

Transliteration

pradakṣiṇanamaskārāḥ śivasya paramātmanaḥ | ṣoḍaśairupacāraiśca kṛtapūjā phalapradā

Translation

Circumambulations (pradakṣiṇā) and prostrations (namaskāra) offered to Śiva, the Supreme Self, and worship performed with the sixteen traditional offerings (ṣoḍaśopacāra)—such worship bestows spiritual fruits.

Word by Word

• प्रदक्षिण-नमस्काराः: circumambulations and salutations
• प्रदक्षिण-नमस्काराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (प्रदक्षिणं च नमस्काराश्च)

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• परम-आत्मनः: of the Supreme Self
• परम-आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (परमः आत्मा)

• षोडशैः: with sixteen
• षोडशैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• उपचारैः: services, offerings
• उपचारैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

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

• कृत-पूजा: worship that has been performed
• कृत-पूजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु + क्त कृदन्त) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कृता पूजा यस्या/या)

• फल-प्रदा: fruit-giving, bestowing results
• फल-प्रदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Guṇa (गुण/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (फलं प्रददातीति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that simple embodied acts of devotion—pradakṣiṇā (reverent circumambulation) and namaskāra (prostration)—when directed to Shiva as Paramātman, become potent means for receiving spiritual merit and grace-leading fruits.

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

The verse supports Saguna upāsanā: Shiva is approached through ritual worship (pūjā) with prescribed offerings—commonly performed before the Shiva-liṅga—while recognizing him inwardly as the transcendent Paramātman.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform pradakṣiṇā and full namaskāra to Shiva, and offer ṣoḍaśopacāra pūjā (sixteen offerings). As an inner practice, do each act with remembrance of Shiva as the indwelling Lord (Pati) who grants the fruit of devotion.