Shloka 19

Māheśvara-pūjā-vidhi: Nyāsa, Maṇḍala-āvāhana, Kalā-salutations, and Upacāra Worship

Devanagari script

मूलमन्त्रेण वै कुर्याज्जपपूजासमर्पणम् / माहेशी कथिता पूजा रुद्र पापविनासिनी

Transliteration

mūlamantreṇa vai kuryājjapapūjāsamarpaṇam / māheśī kathitā pūjā rudra pāpavināsinī

Translation

മൂലമന്ത്രം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ ജപ‑പൂജയുടെ സമർപ്പണം ചെയ്യണം। ‘മാഹേശീ’ എന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്ന ഈ പൂജ രുദ്രാരാധനയായി പാപനാശിനിയാണ്।

Word by Word

• मूलमन्त्रेण: by the root-mantra
• मूलमन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल + मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन (Instr. sg.); समासः—तत्पुरुष (मूलः मन्त्रः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात—अवधारण/प्रमाणार्थक (indeed)

• कुर्यात्: should do/perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जपपूजासमर्पणम्: offering consisting of japa and worship (and dedication)
• जपपूजासमर्पणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप + पूजा + समर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; समासः—समाहार-द्वन्द्व (जपः च पूजा च समर्पणं च—समाहारः)

• माहेशी: Mahesha-related (Shaiva)
• माहेशी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माहेशी (प्रातिपदिक; महेश-सम्बन्धिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (Mahesha-related)

• कथिता: is said/declared
• कथिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कथ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (said/declared)

• पूजा: worship
• पूजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• रुद्र: O Rudra
• रुद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन/प्रथमा एकवचन (voc./nom. sg.; here as संबोधन)

• पापविनाशिनी: destroyer of sins
• पापविनाशिनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप + विनाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक; √नश् (धातु) + वि उपसर्ग + णिनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पापस्य विनाशिनी)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in instruction to Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra, per the text’s common dialogue frame in Kanda 1)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Mantra-japa and pūjā offered through the principal mantra yield pāpa-vināśa (destruction/attenuation of sin) when performed correctly and devotedly.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-yoga/upāsanā as antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi: ritual action and mantra discipline purify and prepare for higher knowledge or steadfast devotion.

Application: Choose one principal mantra (mūla-mantra) for your iṣṭa; keep count (japa), then explicitly ‘offer’ the japa (samarpana) at the end, cultivating accountability and continuity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: shrine/ritual seat (āsana)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.40.16-18 (upacāra and japa/dhyāna context)

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Maheśa (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the importance of Maheśī (Rudra/Śiva) worship in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that Maheśī pūjā—performed with the principal (mūla) mantra and dedicated through japa and worship—is specifically praised as sin-destroying (pāpa-vināśinī).

How does this verse relate to purification and karmic cleansing?

By emphasizing samarpaṇa (dedicating) japa and pūjā through the mūla-mantra, the text frames Rudra worship as a disciplined rite aimed at removing pāpa (demerit) and restoring ritual and moral purity.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Choose an authentic Śiva/Rudra mūla-mantra from your tradition, perform regular japa and pūjā with conscious dedication of the act (samarpaṇa), and align conduct with dharma as part of a purification-focused practice.