Shloka 54

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

विश्वेदेवादिनामानि ससंवबोधनमुच्चरेत् । इदं वः पाद्यमिति सकुशपुष्पाक्षतोदकैः

Transliteration

viśvedevādināmāni sasaṃvabodhanamuccaret | idaṃ vaḥ pādyamiti sakuśapuṣpākṣatodakaiḥ

Translation

Qu’il prononce les noms des dieux, en commençant par les Viśvedevā, en les invoquant selon le rite; puis qu’il offre en disant : « Voici l’eau pour vos pieds (pādya) », avec de l’eau accompagnée d’herbe kuśa, de fleurs et d’akṣata (riz intact).

Word by Word

• viśve-devādi-nāmāni: the names beginning with the Viśvedevas
• viśve-devādi-nāmāni: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśve-devāḥ + ādi + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Prathamā (प्रथमा) Bahuvacana; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (viśvedevādīnām nāmāni)

• sa-saṃvabodhanam: together with the respectful address/invocation
• sa-saṃvabodhanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa + saṃvabodhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः—‘सहितम्’ (with)

• uccaret: should utter/recite
• uccaret: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √car (चर्) + ud (उद्) (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्, optative), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन); parasmaipada

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• vaḥ: of you / for you (plural)
• vaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी) Bahuvacana; enclitic pronoun

• pādyam: water for washing the feet
• pādyam: Pratijñā/Upapada (उपपद/उक्तवस्तु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā Ekavacana; ‘pādārghya’ sense

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyasaṃbandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotation particle (इति-प्रयोगः)

• sa-kuśa-puṣpa-akṣata-udakaiḥ: with water along with kuśa grass, flowers, and unbroken rice grains
• sa-kuśa-puṣpa-akṣata-udakaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sa + kuśa + puṣpa + akṣata + udaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः (‘सहितैः’); Tṛtīyā (तृतीया) Bahuvacana; napuṃsaka-prāya (instrumental plural)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: idaṃ vaḥ pādyam iti

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Vishvedevas

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva-worship is performed with reverent order and purity: invoking divine presences properly and offering pādya symbolizes humility, inner cleansing, and respectful reception of the sacred before deeper worship.

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

In saguna Shiva-puja, upacharas (like pādya) externalize devotion; honoring invoked deities (such as the Viśvedevās) supports the sanctified environment in which the Linga is worshipped as Pati, the Lord who grants grace and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Recite invocatory names clearly and offer pādya with water plus kuśa, flowers, and akṣata—performing the act with focused bhakti and a purified mind as part of the formal upachara sequence.