Shloka 4

शिवध्यानपूजनवर्णनम्

Description of Śiva Meditation and Worship

Devanagari script

शंखमुद्रां च पुरतश्चतुरस्रं प्रकल्पयेत् । तदन्तरेर्द्धचन्द्रं च त्रिकोणं च तदन्तरे

Transliteration

śaṃkhamudrāṃ ca purataścaturasraṃ prakalpayet | tadantarerddhacandraṃ ca trikoṇaṃ ca tadantare

Translation

ກ່ອນອື່ນ ໃຫ້ປັ້ນມຸດຣາຮູບຫອຍ (śaṅkha-mudrā) ໄວ້ທາງໜ້າ. ຈາກນັ້ນ ໃຫ້ຈັດຮູບສີ່ຫຼ່ຽມຈັດຕຸຣັດໃນໃຈ. ພາຍໃນນັ້ນ ໃຫ້ວາງຮູບຄື່ງດວງຈັນ; ແລະພາຍໃນນັ້ນອີກ ໃຫ້ວາງຮູບສາມຫຼ່ຽມ.

Word by Word

• शङ्ख-मुद्राम्: the śaṅkha-mudrā (conch-gesture)
• शङ्ख-मुद्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + मुद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘शङ्खस्य मुद्रा’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; feminine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place: in front)

• चतुरस्रम्: a square (four-sided figure)
• चतुरस्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुरस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रकल्पयेत्: should arrange/construct
• प्रकल्पयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative, 3rd person, Singular; परस्मैपद

• तद्-अन्तरे: in/within that interval
• तद्-अन्तरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘तस्य अन्तरे’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; neuter, Locative, Singular

• अर्ध-चन्द्रम्: a half-moon
• अर्ध-चन्द्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘अर्धः चन्द्रः’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• त्रिकोणम्: a triangle
• त्रिकोणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिकोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तद्-अन्तरे: in that interval (again)
• तद्-अन्तरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘तस्य अन्तरे’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Kailasa teachings as transmitted in the Purana)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches a disciplined inner worship: using mudrā and layered geometric forms to steady the mind, purify attention, and establish focused contemplation on Shiva as Pati (the Lord) who grants liberation.

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

The square, crescent, and triangle function as a meditative support (ādhāra) for Saguna upāsanā—helping the devotee visualize an ordered sacred space in which Shiva is invoked and worshiped, often in connection with the linga and mantra.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A dhyāna/nyāsa-style practice: form śaṅkha-mudrā, then visualize a mandala sequence—square, crescent, triangle—serving as a concentrative framework for Shiva worship with mantra (such as the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) where appropriate.