Shloka 31

Adhyaya 79 — Bhakti-Mahima and Linga-Archana-Vidhi

Condensed Ritual Sequence

Devanagari script

कार्तिके मासि यो दद्याद् घृतदीपं शिवाग्रतः सम्पूज्यमानं वा पश्येद् विधिना परमेश्वरम्

Transliteration

kārtike māsi yo dadyād ghṛtadīpaṃ śivāgrataḥ sampūjyamānaṃ vā paśyed vidhinā parameśvaram

Translation

カーッティカ月に、シヴァの御前へ酥油（ghṛta）の灯明を供える者、あるいは正しい作法により、パラメーシュヴァラ（Parameśvara）が如法に礼拝されるさまを拝観する者は、その聖なるシヴァ信愛の行いから生ずる吉祥の果を得る。

Word by Word

• कार्तिके मासि: in the month of Kārttika

• यः: whoever

• दद्यात्: should give/offer

• घृतदीपम्: a lamp with ghee

• शिवाग्रतः: in front of Śiva (before the Śiva-liṅga)

• सम्पूज्यमानम्: being fully worshipped

• वा: or

• पश्येत्: should see/behold

• विधिना: according to prescribed rule/ritual method

• परमेश्वरम्: Parameśvara, the Supreme Lord (Śiva as Pati)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the merit of Karttika observances to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parameshvara

FAQs

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

It elevates two core acts of liṅga-bhakti in Kārttika—offering a ghee-lamp (dīpa-dāna) before Śiva and taking disciplined darśana of Śiva’s worship—as direct, meritorious means of approaching Pati through ritual devotion.

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

Śiva is named Parameśvara, indicating the supreme Pati: the Lord who receives worship and grants auspicious spiritual fruit, drawing the paśu (individual soul) away from pāśa (bondage) through right devotion and rite.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A Karttika observance centered on dīpa-dāna and śāstric pūjā-vidhi, where even reverent darśana of properly performed worship is affirmed as a potent devotional discipline aligned with Śaiva practice.