Shloka 26

बन्धमोक्षवर्णनम्

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

Devanagari script

सद्यादिभिश्च कुसुमैरर्चयेच्छिवमेष्यति । ऋषय ऊचुः । लिंगादौ शिवपूजाया विधानं ब्रूहि सर्वतः

Transliteration

sadyādibhiśca kusumairarcayecchivameṣyati | ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | liṃgādau śivapūjāyā vidhānaṃ brūhi sarvataḥ

Translation

By worshipping Śiva with fresh flowers and the like, one surely attains Śiva. The sages said: “Teach us fully the proper procedure for Śiva’s worship, beginning with the Liṅga.”

Word by Word

• सद्यादिभिः: with (flowers) such as sadyā etc.
• सद्यादिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सद्य-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; समासः: सद्यः+आदि = सद्यादि (आदि-तत्पुरुष/समाहारार्थे)

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

• कुसुमैः: with flowers
• कुसुमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• अर्चयेत्: should worship
• अर्चयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• एष्यति: will attain/approach
• एष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• लिङ्गादौ: in/with regard to the liṅga etc.
• लिङ्गादौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः: लिङ्गम्+आदि = लिङ्गादि (आदि-तत्पुरुष)

• शिवपूजायाः: of Śiva-worship
• शिवपूजायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य पूजा)

• विधानम्: procedure, rule
• विधानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ब्रूहि: tell (us)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सर्वतः: completely; in every respect
• सर्वतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

The sages (Ṛṣis) addressing Sūta Gosvāmin in the Naimiṣāraṇya dialogue frame

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights accessible upacāras (fresh flowers) as efficacious; culminates in a request for liṅga-pūjā vidhāna, mirroring temple traditions at all major Śiva-kṣetras including Jyotirliṅgas.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga

FAQs

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

It affirms that sincere, pure offerings (like fresh flowers) made with devotion lead the devotee toward Śiva—indicating grace (anugraha) granted through correct worship and bhakti.

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

The sages explicitly request the full ritual method “beginning with the Liṅga,” highlighting the Liṅga as the primary saguna support through which the transcendent (nirguṇa) Śiva is approached in practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer fresh flowers as part of Śiva-arcana and seek the complete Śiva-pūjā vidhāna—typically including mantra-japa (notably the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) alongside disciplined, reverent offerings.