Shloka 4

स्नानविधिः — गायत्र्यावाहन, सूर्यवन्दन, तर्पण, पञ्चमहायज्ञ, भस्मस्नान, मन्त्रस्नान

Devanagari script

अर्घ्यं दत्त्वा समभ्यर्च्य प्रणम्य शिरसा स्वयम् उत्तमे शिखरे देवीत्य् उक्त्वोद्वास्य च मातरम्

Transliteration

arghyaṃ dattvā samabhyarcya praṇamya śirasā svayam uttame śikhare devīty uktvodvāsya ca mātaram

Translation

Setelah mempersembahkan arghya, memuja beliau dengan hormat, dan menundukkan kepala dalam pranama, ia berkata: “Wahai Devī, bersemayamlah di puncak yang luhur ini,” lalu dengan tata cara yang benar mempersilakan Sang Ibu (Mātṛ) kembali dari upacara.

Word by Word

• अर्घ्यम्: ritual offering of water (arghya)

• दत्त्वा: having given/offered

• समभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped properly

• प्रणम्य: having bowed

• शिरसा: with the head

• स्वयम्: himself

• उत्तमे: on the highest/supreme

• शिखरे: peak/summit

• देवी इति: “O Devī,” thus

• उक्त्वा: having said

• उद्वास्य: having ritually dismissed (after worship)

• च: and

• मातरम्: the Mother (Goddess, Śakti)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Shakti
• Mother (Matar)

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It preserves correct pūjā-sequence: offering arghya, completing worship with praṇāma, and performing udvāsa (formal dismissal). In Śaiva ritual, this safeguards sanctity and ensures the rite is concluded without ritual ‘bondage’ (pāśa) from incompletion.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By honoring the Mother (Śakti) and ritually concluding her invocation, the verse implies the Śaiva Siddhānta vision: Pati (Śiva) is realized together with Śakti as the power of grace and manifestation, while the paśu approaches through reverent surrender.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Ritual practice: arghya-dāna, proper upacāra-pūjā, praṇāma, and udvāsa. Yogic takeaway: humility and head-bowing (praṇipāta) as a discipline that loosens pāśa (bondage) and aligns the paśu toward Pati’s grace.