Shloka 79

प्रणवार्थ-शिवतत्त्व-निर्णयः

The Determination of Śiva as the Meaning of Praṇava

Devanagari script

पिण्डानुत्सृज्य गोग्रासं दद्यान्नोचेज्जले क्षिपेत् । पुण्याहवाचनं त्वां भुंजीत स्वजनैस्सह

Transliteration

piṇḍānutsṛjya gogrāsaṃ dadyānnocejjale kṣipet | puṇyāhavācanaṃ tvāṃ bhuṃjīta svajanaissaha

Translation

പിണ്ഡദാനം കഴിഞ്ഞ് പശുവിന് ഒരു ഗ്രാസം അന്നം നൽകണം; അതു സാധ്യമല്ലെങ്കിൽ അത് ജലത്തിൽ നിക്ഷേപിക്കണം. തുടർന്ന് പുണ്യാഹവാചനം ചെയ്ത് സ്വജനങ്ങളോടൊപ്പം ഭോജനം കഴിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• पिण्डान्: rice-balls (piṇḍas)
• पिण्डान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• उत्सृज्य: having discarded/left off
• उत्सृज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया; धातु: सृज् (त्यागे/सर्जने) उपसर्ग: उत्

• गो-ग्रासम्: a mouthful for a cow
• गो-ग्रासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: गोः ग्रासः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दद्यात्: should give
• दद्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• उचेत्: should say/utter
• उचेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; रूपम्: उचेत् (वच्-धातोः)

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• क्षिपेत्: should throw
• क्षिपेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• पुण्याह-वाचनम्: the recitation of ‘puṇyāha’ (auspicious-day formula)
• पुण्याह-वाचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्याह (प्रातिपदिक) + वाचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: पुण्याहस्य वाचनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भुञ्जीत: should partake/eat
• भुञ्जीत: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• स्वजनैः: with one’s own people/relatives
• स्वजनैः: Sahakāraka (सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (सहकारक/करण), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (preposition/particle meaning ‘with’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Feeding a cow after piṇḍa-offering extends the rite’s compassion outward; in dharmic-Śaiva framing it stabilizes merit and supports social-cosmic order (sthiti), aiding the aspirant’s purification.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that ritual offerings must culminate in compassion and purity: charity (feeding a cow), symbolic offering to the waters when unable, and then sanctified nourishment—aligning household dharma with inner purification under Shiva’s order (śiva-ājñā).

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

In Saguna Shiva worship, external rites (offerings, purity, and regulated conduct) support inner devotion. This verse frames post-ritual conduct—sanctification and disciplined eating—as part of maintaining the sacred field created by Shiva-pūjā.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform piṇḍa-offering, then give a gogrāsa (cow-feeding) as a dharmic adjunct; if impossible, offer to water; complete puṇyāha-vācana (auspicious purification) before eating—treating the meal as prasāda with mindful restraint.