Shloka 31

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

रात्रौ तत्र स्वयं गत्वा संपाद्य विधिमुत्तमम् । शिवस्य दक्षिणे भागे पश्चिमे वा स्थले शुभे

Transliteration

rātrau tatra svayaṃ gatvā saṃpādya vidhimuttamam | śivasya dakṣiṇe bhāge paścime vā sthale śubhe

Translation

രാത്രിയിൽ അവിടെ സ്വയം ചെന്നു ഉത്തമവിധിപ്രകാരം കർമ്മം നിർവഹിക്കണം; ശിവന്റെ വലതുഭാഗത്തോ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ പടിഞ്ഞാറ് ദിക്കിലെ ശുഭസ്ഥാനത്തോ (ക്രമീകരിക്കണം).

Word by Word

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (रात्रौ = रात्र्याम्)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मनः/स्वतः (reflexive/emphatic adverb)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriyā (अनुबन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having gone)

• सम्पाद्य: having arranged/accomplished
• सम्पाद्य: Kriyā (अनुबन्ध/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√पद्/पाद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘सम्पाद्य’ = having accomplished/arranged

• विधिम्: procedure/rite
• विधिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘विधिम्’)

• शिवस्य: of Śiva
• शिवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• दक्षिणे: on the right (side)
• दक्षिणे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘भागे’)

• भागे: in the part/side
• भागे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• पश्चिमे: in the west/western (side)
• पश्चिमे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (elliptic: ‘भागे’ understood)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक निपात (disjunctive particle)

• स्थले: in a place
• स्थले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘स्थले’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Highlights night worship and spatial arrangement (right/southern or western side) as part of vrata discipline; the nocturnal setting resonates with Śivarātri’s inward-turning austerity where concealment (tirodhāna) is ritually met by devotion seeking grace.

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes disciplined, intentional devotion—personally going at night and completing the proper vidhi—showing that sincere bhakti expressed through correct worship becomes a direct means to Śiva’s grace.

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

The verse gives practical direction for arranging worship in relation to Śiva’s presence, reflecting Saguna upāsanā where the devotee honors Śiva through ordered, reverent placement and ritual procedure.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Night-time Śiva worship (rātri-pūjā) with careful adherence to the prescribed vidhi and choosing an auspicious location/direction—commonly paired in Shaiva practice with mantra-japa (e.g., Pañcākṣarī) and focused meditation on Śiva.