Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 45

गणेशाभिषेक-वरदान-विधानम् | Gaṇeśa’s Consecration, Boons, and Prescribed Worship

Devanagari script

एकविंशतिकेनैव पूजयेत्प्रतिमां स्थिताम् । धूपैर्दीपैश्च नैवेद्यैर्विविधैर्गणनायकम्

Transliteration

ekaviṃśatikenaiva pūjayetpratimāṃ sthitām | dhūpairdīpaiśca naivedyairvividhairgaṇanāyakam

Translation

二十一の供物のみをもって、安置された御像を礼拝すべし。さらに香、灯明、種々のナイヴェーディヤ（食供）によって、ガナの主「ガナナーヤカ」ガネーシャを敬い奉れ。

Word by Word

• एक-विṃशतिकेन: with twenty-one (items)
• एक-विṃशतिकेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + विंशति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः ‘एकविंशतिः’ (21) तस्य करण-रूपम् (by twenty-one)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (only/indeed)

• पूजयेत्: should worship
• पूजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/सम्भावना-विधि), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रतिमाम्: the image/idol
• प्रतिमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• स्थिताम्: placed, set up
• स्थिताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थित (कृदन्त, √स्था धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय कृदन्त (past participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘प्रतिमाम्’ विशेषण (placed/standing)

• धूपैः: with incense
• धूपैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• दीपैः: with lamps
• दीपैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• नैवेद्यैः: with food offerings
• नैवेद्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘धूपैः...नैवेद्यैः’ विशेषण

• गण-नायकम्: Gaṇanāyaka (Gaṇeśa)
• गण-नायकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक) + नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘गणानां नायकः’ (leader of the gaṇas)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Ganesha

FAQs

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

It teaches that auspicious, orderly worship begins by honoring Gaṇeśa, remover of obstacles and leader of Śiva’s gaṇas, using disciplined offerings that steady devotion (bhakti) and sanctify the rite.

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

In Shaiva ritual flow, Gaṇeśa pūjā is performed as a preliminary act so that worship of Saguna forms—such as Śiva’s liṅga or mūrti—proceeds without hindrance and with ritual completeness.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform mūrti-pūjā with a set of twenty-one offerings and present dhūpa (incense), dīpa (lamp), and varied naivedya to Gaṇeśa—practically a concise pūjā-krama emphasizing devotion and auspicious commencement.