Shloka 1

Devanagari script

नामैकोनचत्वारिंशो ऽध्यायः शङ्कर उवाच / माहेश्वरीं च मे पूजां वद शङ्खगदाधर / यां ज्ञात्वा मानवाः सिद्धिं गच्छन्ति परमेश्वर

Transliteration

nāmaikonacatvāriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ śaṅkara uvāca / māheśvarīṃ ca me pūjāṃ vada śaṅkhagadādhara / yāṃ jñātvā mānavāḥ siddhiṃ gacchanti parameśvara

Translation

ಮೂವತ್ತೊಂಬತ್ತನೇ ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ. ಶಂಕರನು ಹೇಳಿದರು— ಹೇ ಶಂಖ-ಗದಾಧರ, ನನಗೆ ಮಾಹೇಶ್ವರಿ ಪೂಜೆಯನ್ನು ಹೇಳು; ಅದನ್ನು ತಿಳಿದು ಮಾನವರು ಸಿದ್ಧಿಯನ್ನು ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ, ಹೇ ಪರಮೇಶ್ವರ।

Word by Word

• nāma: (as) name/title
• nāma: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), शीर्षकसूचक (title-marker)

• ekona-catvāriṃśaḥ: thirty-ninth (one less than forty)
• ekona-catvāriṃśaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekona (प्रातिपदिक) + catvāriṃśat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• śaṅkaraḥ: Śaṅkara
• śaṅkaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• māheśvarīm: Maheshvara-related
• māheśvarīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māheśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• me: my/to me
• me: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun), enclitic

• pūjām: worship
• pūjām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• vada: tell/speak
• vada: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• śaṅkha-gadā-dhara: O bearer of conch and mace
• śaṅkha-gadā-dhara: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkha (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (instrument/attribute-based epithet)

• yām: which (worship)
• yām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• jñātvā: having known
• jñātvā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• mānavāḥ: people/humans
• mānavāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• siddhim: attainment/success
• siddhim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• gacchanti: go/attain
• gacchanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• parameśvara: O Supreme Lord
• parameśvara: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

Speaker

Śaṅkara (addressing Lord Viṣṇu, ‘Śaṅkhagadādhara’)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Upāsanā (worship) as a means to siddhi; the efficacy of knowing correct ritual and devotion.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-upāsanā as a preparatory discipline (sādhana) leading toward inner purification and higher realization.

Application: Approach worship through humble inquiry, seek proper instruction (śravaṇa) before practice, and align intention toward spiritual accomplishment rather than mere display.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: dialogue-setting

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (Brahma-khaṇḍa) ritual sections on pūjā-vidhi and mantra-nyāsa (adjacent adhyāyas); Garuda Purana themes of bhakti to Viṣṇu alongside honoring other devatās in prescribed rites

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara
• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Parameśvara (Supreme Lord)
• Śaṅkhagadādhara (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the importance of Māheśvarī pūjā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames Māheśvarī (Śiva-related) worship as a discipline whose knowledge leads humans to siddhi (spiritual accomplishment), highlighting it as a direct means to inner perfection.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Rather than describing afterlife mechanics, the verse points to a preparatory path: right worship and knowledge (pūjā + jñāna) that cultivates siddhi—supporting liberation-oriented living.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Study a traditional Śiva-pūjā method with clarity and consistency, and treat worship as character-formation—discipline, purity, and devotion aimed at inner transformation rather than mere ritualism.