Shloka 15

Brahmā–Viṣṇu-Pūjā: Upacāra-Vistāra and Īśvara’s Prasāda

Offerings in Shiva Worship and the Lord’s Grace

Devanagari script

यत्पुनः स्तंभरूपेण स्वाविरासमहं पुरा । स कालो मार्गशीर्षे तु स्यादाद्रा र् ऋक्षमर्भकौ

Transliteration

yatpunaḥ staṃbharūpeṇa svāvirāsamahaṃ purā | sa kālo mārgaśīrṣe tu syādādrā r ṛkṣamarbhakau

Translation

Moreover, the time when I formerly manifested by Myself in the form of the (endless) pillar—know that sacred occasion to be in the month of Mārgaśīrṣa, under the Ārdrā nakṣatra, in the tender early portion of the time.

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: कर्म/विषय (कर्म/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (‘that which’)

• पुनः: again; moreover
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति/पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (again; moreover)

• स्तम्भरूपेण: in the form of a pillar
• स्तम्भरूपेण: करण/प्रकार (करणम्/प्रकारः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तम्भ + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समासः—स्तम्भस्य रूपम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• स्व: self; own
• स्व: सम्बन्ध (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पूर्वपदम्; स्वकीय (one’s own)

• आविरासम्: manifestation; appearance
• आविरासम्: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आविरास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आविरास’ = प्राकट्य/प्रादुर्भाव

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

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: क्रियाविशेषण (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly)

• सः: that
• सः: विशेष्य (विशेष्यः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कालः: time; season
• कालः: कर्ता/विषय (कर्ता/विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मार्गशीर्षे: in Mārgaśīrṣa (month)
• मार्गशीर्षे: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गशीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; मासनाम

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• स्यात्: would be; should be
• स्यात्: क्रिया (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आद्रा: Ārdrā (nakṣatra)
• आद्रा: विषय/विशेष्य (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नक्षत्रनाम

• ऋक्षम्: nakṣatra; star-asterism
• ऋक्षम्: विषय (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘नक्षत्र’ अर्थे

• अर्भकौ: two youths/children (reading uncertain)
• अर्भकौ: विषय (विषयः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्भक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘अर्भक’ = बालक/छोटा; पाठदोषसम्भावना—अत्र अर्थ/रचना अस्पष्टा

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Liṅgodbhava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Refers to Śiva’s self-manifestation as the endless pillar (stambha)—the Liṅgodbhava theophany—classically revealing Śiva’s supremacy beyond Brahmā and Viṣṇu and veiling their limited knowing (tirodhāna) until revelation.

Significance: Marks a sacred calendrical remembrance: month of Mārgaśīrṣa under Ārdrā nakṣatra; suitable for intensified liṅga worship commemorating the self-revealed axis of reality.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Self-manifestation (svāvirbhāva) as the endless pillar (stambha)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It sanctifies Shiva’s self-manifestation as the infinite pillar (a revelation of Pati, the Supreme Lord) and links it to sacred time, indicating that divine grace descends in specific auspicious windows that support bhakti and inner awakening.

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

The pillar-form points to the Linga as Shiva’s self-revealed, worship-worthy form—Saguna for devotion and ritual, yet indicating the Nirguna limitless reality that cannot be measured, as in the classic stambha revelation narrative.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Linga-pūjā and japa (especially “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) in auspicious time—such as Mārgaśīrṣa and Ārdrā—while meditating on Shiva as both the manifest support (stambha/linga) and the boundless consciousness beyond all limits.