Shloka 63

मुक्तयतिदेहसंस्काररहस्यं — The Esoteric Rites for the Bodies of Liberated Ascetics

Devanagari script

चतुरस्रं च तन्मध्ये गंधाक्षतसमन्वितेः । सुगंधकुसुमैर्बिल्वैस्तुलस्या च समर्चयेत्

Transliteration

caturasraṃ ca tanmadhye gaṃdhākṣatasamanviteḥ | sugaṃdhakusumairbilvaistulasyā ca samarcayet

Translation

Qu’on prépare un autel carré, et qu’en son centre—orné de pâte de santal parfumée et de riz intact (akṣata)—l’on adore (le Seigneur Śiva) avec des fleurs odorantes, des feuilles de bilva et aussi de la tulasī.

Word by Word

• caturasram: four-sided/square
• caturasram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (some object to be made/placed)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• tat: of that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; 'तत्' = of that

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• gandha: fragrance/perfume
• gandha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (compound member)

• akṣata: unbroken rice
• akṣata: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, प्रातिपदिक (compound member); 'unbroken rice grains'

• samanvite: endowed with
• samanvite: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samanvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (endowed/combined with)

• sugandha: fragrant
• sugandha: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/compound member)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + gandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक (compound member); कर्मधारयः (सु-गन्धः = good-fragranced)

• kusumaiḥ: with flowers
• kusumaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kusuma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• bilvaiḥ: with bilva leaves/fruits
• bilvaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bilva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• tulasyā: with tulasī
• tulasyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tulasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• samarcayet: should worship/offer
• samarcayet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√arc (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes śuddha-pūjā-saṃskāra: preparing a maṇḍala/vedi with gandha and akṣata and offering bilva/puṣpa is taught as a direct means to purify the paśu and make it fit for Śiva’s anugraha.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer ritual order (a prepared altar, purity symbols like akṣata, and fragrant offerings) supports inner bhakti; in Śaiva Siddhānta, such disciplined worship helps the bound soul (paśu) turn toward Pati (Śiva) and loosen pāśa (bondage).

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

The verse describes a concrete, saguna mode of worship—arranging a sacred space and offering bilva, flowers, and auspicious substances—typical of Liṅga-pūjā where Śiva is reverently approached through a worshipful form while contemplating His transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prepare a square worship-space/maṇḍala, place fragrant paste and akṣata at the center, and perform offering (upacāra) with bilva and flowers—ideally while mentally repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) as the inner accompaniment.