Shloka 26

पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi

Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

नमः पार्याय इति वा पुष्प मंत्रेण चार्पयेत् । नमः पर्ण्याय इति वा बिल्बपत्रसमर्पणम्

Transliteration

namaḥ pāryāya iti vā puṣpa maṃtreṇa cārpayet | namaḥ parṇyāya iti vā bilbapatrasamarpaṇam

Translation

With the mantra “Namaḥ Pāryāya,” one should offer flowers; and with the mantra “Namaḥ Parṇyāya,” one should offer bilva leaves to Lord Śiva.

Word by Word

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Prayoga (सम्बोधन/प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Exclamatory indeclinable (नमः-प्रयोगः, निपातवत्)

• pāryāya: to Pāryā (a deity/epithet)
• pāryāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; mantra-address ‘to Pāryā’

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (उद्धरणार्थक-अव्यय)

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक-निपात)

• puṣpam: a flower
• puṣpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• mantreṇa: with the mantra
• mantreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चयार्थक-निपात)

• arpayet: should offer
• arpayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arp (धातु)
• Form: Optative/विधिलिङ्, 3rd Person, Singular; parasmaipada

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Prayoga (सम्बोधन/प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Exclamatory indeclinable (नमः-प्रयोगः)

• parṇyāya: to Parṇī
• parṇyāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative, Singular; mantra-address ‘to Parṇī’

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (उद्धरणार्थक-अव्यय)

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक-निपात)

• bilba-patra-samarpaṇam: offering of bilva leaves
• bilba-patra-samarpaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bilba + patra + samarpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; समासः षष्ठी/कर्म-तत्पुरुष: ‘offering of bilva-leaves’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Śiva-pūjā procedure to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As part of the Viśveśvara-focused worship-sequence, these offering-mantras function as upacāras to Viśveśvara (Śiva as Lord of the universe) and reflect the Vārāṇasī tradition of honoring Śiva with bilva and flowers as primary tokens of devotion.

Significance: Offering bilva and flowers to Viśvanātha is held to purify devotion (bhakti) and support śiva-sāyujya/śiva-sāmīpya aspirations through disciplined pūjā.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: namaḥ pāryāya; namaḥ parṇyāya

Type: rudram

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that devotion becomes precise and sanctified when offerings are made with mantra—aligning speech, mind, and act in reverence to Śiva, the Pati who grants grace to the bound soul (paśu).

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

Flowers and bilva leaves are classic upacāras offered to the Śiva-liṅga as Saguna Śiva, using named mantras that invoke His accessible, worshipful presence while honoring His many aspects.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform liṅga-pūjā by offering flowers and bilva leaves while reciting the appropriate offering-mantras with steady attention, treating the act as mantra-sevā (devotional discipline).