Shloka 51

पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi

Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

कैलासपीठासनमध्यसंस्थं भक्तैः सनंदादिभिरर्च्यमानम् । भक्तार्तिदावानलमप्रमेयं ध्यायेदुमालिंगितविश्वभूषणम्

Transliteration

kailāsapīṭhāsanamadhyasaṃsthaṃ bhaktaiḥ sanaṃdādibhirarcyamānam | bhaktārtidāvānalamaprameyaṃ dhyāyedumāliṃgitaviśvabhūṣaṇam

Translation

One should meditate on the immeasurable Lord—the Ornament of the universe—seated in the midst of the throne on Kailāsa, worshipped by devotees such as Sananda and the other sages, and embracing Umā; He is the blazing fire that consumes the forest of His devotees’ afflictions.

Word by Word

• कैलास-पीठ-आसन-मध्य-संस्थम्: situated in the middle of the Kailāsa-throne-seat
• कैलास-पीठ-आसन-मध्य-संस्थम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कैलास (प्रातिपदिक) + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्थ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (locative sense: ‘situated in the middle of the seat/throne of Kailāsa’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (to implied ‘महेश्वरम्/शिवम्’)

• भक्तैः: by devotees
• भक्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• सनन्द-आदिभिः: by Sananda and others
• सनन्द-आदिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (आदि-समास: ‘Sananda and others’), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• अर्च्यमानम्: being worshipped
• अर्च्यमानम्: Karma (कर्म/being worshipped)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) + य (कृत्)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त (present passive participle/शानच्-प्रायः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भक्त-आर्ति-दाव-अनलम्: the forest-fire (that burns) devotees’ distress
• भक्त-आर्ति-दाव-अनलम्: Karma (कर्म/meditated upon)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + दाव (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान/निर्देश: ‘forest-fire (dāvānala) for devotees’ distress’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणार्थे (metaphoric epithet)

• अप्रमेयम्: immeasurable
• अप्रमेयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + प्रमेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त; विशेषण

• ध्यायेत्: one should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विध्यर्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उमा-आलिङ्गित-विश्व-भूषणम्: the ornament of the universe, embraced by Umā
• उमा-आलिङ्गित-विश्व-भूषणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक) + आलिङ्गित (आ + लिङ्ग् धातु + क्त) + विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उमा-आलिङ्गित = ‘embraced by Umā’; विश्व-भूषण = ‘ornament of the universe’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: As Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha, Śiva is praised as the Lord of the universe who grants refuge to devotees; the Kāśī-kṣetra tradition presents Him as the ever-present protector and bestower of liberation, with His grace burning away devotees’ afflictions.

Significance: Darśana and worship are held to destroy fear and sorrow and to bestow Śiva’s anugraha (grace), culminating in liberation-oriented devotion.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Uma
• Sananda

FAQs

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

The verse teaches Saguna-dhyāna of Umā-Maheśvara: contemplating Śiva as the immeasurable Pati (Lord) whose grace burns away the entire “forest” of a devotee’s sorrow and bondage, leading the soul toward peace and liberation.

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

It presents a personal, form-based (Saguna) contemplation of Viśveśvara—Śiva with Umā on Kailāsa—supporting Linga-worship by giving the meditator a concrete divine form and mood of devotion through which the same supreme reality is approached.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhyāna: visualize Śiva on Kailāsa embraced by Umā, adored by great devotees, and repeat a Śaiva mantra (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady attention, seeking the removal of distress through Śiva’s grace.