Shloka 20

व्यपोहनस्तवनिरूपण-प्रसङ्गे नक्तभोजन-शिवव्रतविधिः (वार्षिक-प्रतिमास-क्रमः)

Devanagari script

माघमासे तु सम्पूज्य यः कुर्यान् नक्तभोजनम् कृशरं घृतसंयुक्तं भुञ्जानः संयतेन्द्रियः

Transliteration

māghamāse tu sampūjya yaḥ kuryān naktabhojanam kṛśaraṃ ghṛtasaṃyuktaṃ bhuñjānaḥ saṃyatendriyaḥ

Translation

മാഘമാസത്തിൽ (ശിവനെ) സമ്യക് പൂജിച്ച്, ആരെങ്കിലും നക്തഭോജന വ്രതം അനുഷ്ഠിക്കുമ്പോൾ—ഇന്ദ്രിയങ്ങളെ നിയന്ത്രിച്ച് നെയ്യോടുകൂടിയ കൃശരം ഭുജിക്കുമ്പോൾ—അവൻ വ്രതഫലം പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• माघमासे: in the month of Māgha

• तु: indeed

• सम्पूज्य: having worshipped well (after proper pūjā)

• यः: whoever

• कुर्यात्: should do/undertakes

• नक्तभोजनम्: night-eating (one meal at night)

• कृशरम्: kṛśara (rice with pulses)

• घृतसंयुक्तम्: mixed/combined with ghee

• भुञ्जानः: eating/partaking

• संयतेन्द्रियः: with restrained senses (self-controlled).

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the vrata/pūjā-vidhi tradition to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It links Liṅga/Śiva-pūjā with a concrete Māgha-vrata discipline—night-only eating with a simple sāttvika offering-food—showing that worship is strengthened by regulated conduct and self-restraint.

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

Śiva is approached as Pati (the Lord who frees the paśu) through devotion joined with saṃyama; the verse implies that inner control (indriya-nigraha) is a fitting means to draw near to Śiva-tattva beyond bondage (pāśa).

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A vrata-based yogic restraint: naktabhojana (eating once at night) with indriya-saṃyama, performed after proper pūjā—an austerity that supports Śaiva sādhanā and purity for worship.