Shloka 61

पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi

Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

इत्येवं चाक्षतान्पुष्पानारोप्य च शिवोपरि । प्रणमेद्भक्तितश्शंभुं साष्टांगं विधिवन्मुने

Transliteration

ityevaṃ cākṣatānpuṣpānāropya ca śivopari | praṇamedbhaktitaśśaṃbhuṃ sāṣṭāṃgaṃ vidhivanmune

Translation

Thus, having duly offered unbroken grains of rice and flowers upon Śiva, one should bow to Śambhu with devotion, performing the full eight-limbed prostration (sāṣṭāṅga) according to the prescribed rite, O sage.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative/closure particle)

• एवम्: in this way
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: in this manner)

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

• अक्षतान्: unbroken rice grains
• अक्षतान्: कर्म (object of ‘आरोप्य’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन

• पुष्पान्: flowers
• पुष्पान्: कर्म (object of ‘आरोप्य’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन

• आरोप्य: having offered/placed
• आरोप्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√रुह्/√रुप्? (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘आरोप्य’ = having placed/offered (from √रुह्/आरोपयति causative usage)

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

• शिवे: upon Śiva
• शिवे: अधिकरण (locus: upon Śiva)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• उपरि: on, upon
• उपरि: अधिकरण-सम्बन्ध (locative relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (indeclinable adverb/postposition: on/above)

• प्रणमेत्: should bow
• प्रणमेत्: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√नम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; विध्यर्थ (injunctive: should bow)

• भक्तितः: out of devotion
• भक्तितः: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative) एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे—हेतौ (used adverbially: out of devotion)

• शम्भुम्: Śambhu
• शम्भुम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• साष्टाङ्गम्: with eight limbs (full prostration)
• साष्टाङ्गम्: क्रियाविशेषण (manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + अष्टाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्—प्रणामस्य प्रकारः; समासः तत्पुरुषः (सह अष्टाङ्गेन)

• विधिवत्: properly
• विधिवत्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; रीतिवाचक (adverb: according to rule)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative); एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Though the verse teaches general liṅga-pūjā, it aligns with the Viśveśvara/Viśvanātha frame of the saṃhitā: Śiva as Lord of the universe is approached through regulated worship (vidhi) and devotion (bhakti), granting grace.

Significance: Darśana and worship are held to confer purification and Śiva’s anugraha; aṣṭāṅga-praṇāma embodies surrender (śaraṇāgati) and humility before Pati.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that correct outer worship—offering akṣata and flowers—must culminate in inner surrender: devoted aṣṭāṅga prostration to Śambhu, expressing humility and complete refuge in Pati (Lord Śiva).

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

The act of placing offerings “upon Śiva” points to Saguna worship through the Śiva-liṅga or a consecrated form, where tangible offerings and bodily prostration become vehicles of devotion leading the mind toward the transcendent Lord.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform vidhivat pūjā by offering akṣata and flowers to the Śiva-liṅga, then do sāṣṭāṅga (eight-limbed) praṇāma with bhakti—mentally surrendering ego and reaffirming devotion (often accompanied by japa such as “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).