Shloka 56

पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi

Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

तावकस्त्वद्गुणप्राणस्त्वच्चित्तोहं सदा मृड । कृपानिध इति ज्ञात्वा भूतनाथ प्रसीद मे

Transliteration

tāvakastvadguṇaprāṇastvaccittohaṃ sadā mṛḍa | kṛpānidha iti jñātvā bhūtanātha prasīda me

Translation

O Mṛḍa (the Benevolent One), I am Yours—my very life is sustained by Your virtues, and my mind is always fixed on You. Knowing You as the ocean of compassion, O Lord of beings (Bhūtanātha), be gracious to me.

Word by Word

• तावकः: yours/your devotee
• तावकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of ‘अहम्’ implied)

• त्वत्: of you/your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• गुणप्राणः: whose life is (sustained by) your virtues
• गुणप्राणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (one whose life is your qualities)

• त्वत्: of you/your
• त्वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• चित्तः: mind-fixed (on you)
• चित्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे प्रयोगः (having mind fixed on you)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• मृड: O Mṛḍa (Śiva)
• मृड: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; शिव-नाम

• कृपानिधे: O treasure of compassion
• कृपानिधे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा + निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘कृपायाः निधिः’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known/considered
• ज्ञात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया ‘having known’

• भूतनाथ: O Lord of beings
• भूतनाथ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘भूतानां नाथः’

• प्रसीद: be gracious/please be pleased
• प्रसीद: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + सद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (genitive/dative enclitic), एकवचन; ‘of me/to me’

Speaker

A devotee addressing Lord Shiva (as framed within Suta Goswami’s narration in the Vidyeshvara Samhita)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse expresses śaraṇāgati (complete surrender): the devotee identifies life and mind as anchored in Śiva’s guṇas and seeks His prasāda (grace). In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, liberation is ultimately completed by Śiva’s anugraha when the soul turns wholly toward Him.

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

By calling Śiva “Mṛḍa” and “Bhūtanātha,” the devotee approaches Saguna Śiva—compassionate and personal—who is worshiped in the Liṅga as the accessible form of the Supreme. The mental fixation on Śiva (tvat-cittaḥ) complements external Liṅga worship with inner devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points to daily japa and dhyāna: keep the mind on Śiva while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and offering a simple prayer for grace. As a Shaiva practice, this can be paired with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as supports for steady remembrance.