Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 52

त्रिपुरमोहनम्

Tripuramohana — “The Delusion/Enchanting of Tripura”

Devanagari script

शिवपूजां विशेषेण लिंगाराधनपूर्विकाम् । विष्णुसूर्यगणेशादिपूजनं विधिपूर्वकम्

Transliteration

śivapūjāṃ viśeṣeṇa liṃgārādhanapūrvikām | viṣṇusūryagaṇeśādipūjanaṃ vidhipūrvakam

Translation

Qu’on accomplisse le culte de Śiva d’une manière toute particulière, en commençant par l’adoration dévote du Liṅga ; puis, selon l’ordre prescrit, qu’on rende aussi hommage à Viṣṇu, à Sūrya, à Gaṇeśa et aux autres divinités, conformément au rite.

Word by Word

• शिवपूजाम्: worship of Śiva
• शिवपूजाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य पूजा)

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण

• लिङ्गाराधनपूर्विकाम्: preceded by worship of the liṅga
• लिङ्गाराधनपूर्विकाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिङ्ग-आराधन-पूर्विका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (शिवपूजाम्); समासः तत्पुरुषः (लिङ्गस्य आराधनं पूर्वं यस्याः सा)

• विष्णुसूर्यगणेशादिपूजनम्: worship of Viṣṇu, Sūrya, Gaṇeśa, etc.
• विष्णुसूर्यगणेशादिपूजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु-सूर्य-गणेश-आदि-पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (‘विष्णु-सूर्य-गणेश-आदि’ इति समाहारः + पूजनम्)

• विधिपूर्वकम्: according to proper procedure
• विधिपूर्वकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधि-पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पूजनम्); समासः तत्पुरुषः (विधिना पूर्वकं/विधिपूर्वकं)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating the Rudra Saṃhitā account to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Establishes Śiva-liṅga worship as the primary gateway to auspiciousness and right order of devatā-upāsanā; supports pilgrimage/temple praxis centered on liṅga-darśana and abhiṣeka.

Mantra Metadata

Type: panchakshara

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga
• Vishnu
• Surya
• Ganesha

FAQs

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

It establishes Liṅga-ārādhana as the primary doorway into Śiva-bhakti, while also affirming respectful, orderly honoring of other devas as limbs of dharma—without displacing Śiva as the supreme Pati (Lord) in the Śaiva Siddhānta view.

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

The verse explicitly says Śiva-pūjā should be ‘liṅgārādhanapūrvikā’—beginning with Liṅga worship—indicating Saguna upāsanā through the Liṅga as the central, accessible form for devotion and ritual concentration.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to begin daily or festival worship with Liṅga-pūjā (abhisheka, offerings, mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’), and then offer respectful pūjā to Gaṇeśa, Sūrya, Viṣṇu, etc., strictly following vidhi (proper sequence and rules).