Shloka 6

Śiva-Pūjākramaḥ — The Procedural Order of Shiva Worship

Pañcāvaraṇa & Upacāras

Devanagari script

सदाशिवादिक्रमतो ध्यायेदष्टौ च तत्र तान् । परया सम्भावनयेतरानपि मुने द्विजान् । परमेष्ठिगुरुं ध्यायेत्सांबबुद्ध्या स्वनामतः । गुरुश्च परमन्तस्मात्परापरगुरुं ततः

Transliteration

sadāśivādikramato dhyāyedaṣṭau ca tatra tān | parayā sambhāvanayetarānapi mune dvijān | parameṣṭhiguruṃ dhyāyetsāṃbabuddhyā svanāmataḥ | guruśca paramantasmātparāparaguruṃ tataḥ

Translation

സദാശിവനിൽ നിന്ന് ക്രമമായി ആ എട്ടു (ഗുരുക്കന്മാരെ) ധ്യാനിക്കണം; ഹേ മുനേ, മറ്റു ദ്വിജ ആചാര്യരെയും പരമാദരത്തോടെ ഭാവിക്കണം। സ്വന്തം പരമ്പരയിൽ സ്വന്തം നാമത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധനായ പരമേഷ്ഠി-ഗുരുവിനെ സാംബ (ശിവ-ശക്തിയുക്ത) ബോധത്തോടെ ധ്യാനിക്കണം; തുടർന്ന് പരമഗുരുവിനെയും, പിന്നെ പരാപര (പരാതീതവും അന്തർവ്യാപ്തവും) ഗുരുവിനെയും ധ്യാനിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• सदाशिवादिक्रमतः: in the sequence beginning with Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवादिक्रमतः: क्रम (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदाशिव + आदि + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; पञ्चमी-प्राय अर्थः ‘क्रमतः’ (in order/according to sequence), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: क्रिया (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: देश (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• तान्: them
• तान्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• परया: with supreme (reverence)
• परया: करण (करणकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying सम्भावना/बुद्धि implied)

• सम्भावनयेत्: should honor/revere
• सम्भावनयेत्: क्रिया (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√भाव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; causative sense in usage ‘to honor/revere’

• इतरान्: others
• इतरान्: विशेषण (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying द्विजान्)

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (also/even)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• द्विजान्: Brahmins
• द्विजान्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• परमेष्ठिगुरुम्: the guru of Parameṣṭhin (Brahmā)
• परमेष्ठिगुरुम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठि + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (परमेष्ठिनः गुरु:)

• ध्यायेत्: should meditate
• ध्यायेत्: क्रिया (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सांबबुद्ध्या: with the notion of (Śiva) together with Ambā
• सांबबुद्ध्या: करण (करणकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + अम्बा + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘स-अम्बा’ इति उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (with Ambā/Umā), ततः ‘सांब’ + ‘बुद्धि’ (कर्मधारय-प्राय)

• स्वनामतः: by/according to one’s own name
• स्वनामतः: हेतु/प्रकार (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व + नामन् + तः (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्राय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from/according to one’s own name’

• गुरुः: the guru
• गुरुः: कर्ता/विषय (कर्तृस्थानी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• परम्: higher/supreme
• परम्: विशेषण (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying गुरुं understood in next segment)

• अनन्तस्मात्: from Ananta
• अनन्तस्मात्: अपादान (अपादानकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• परापरगुरुम्: the guru who is both supreme and not-supreme (transcendent & immanent)
• परापरगुरुम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परा + अपर + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-प्राय (परः च अपरः च—‘transcendent-and-immanent’ as qualifier of गुरु)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: क्रम (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (thereafter)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Umā

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Sadashiva
• Shiva (Samba/Sāmbā)
• Guru

FAQs

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

It establishes Guru-tattva as the doorway to Śiva: the seeker is instructed to contemplate a lineage beginning from Sadāśiva, honoring realized teachers, and finally recognizing the Guru as the very presence of Śiva-Śakti (Sāmbā) guiding the soul toward liberation.

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

By identifying the Guru with Sāmbā (Śiva with Śakti), the verse frames Saguna worship—such as Linga-pūjā—as effective when received through right initiation and instruction; the Guru embodies the living link between the devotee’s practice and the Lord’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A structured dhyāna: mentally honor the Shaiva guru-lineage beginning with Sadāśiva, revere all worthy teachers, and meditate on one’s own initiating Guru as Sāmbā; this supports mantra-japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī) and inner yoga by rooting practice in devotion and correct understanding.