Shloka 71

दशशैवव्रतप्रश्नः — Inquiry into the Ten Principal Śaiva Vratas

Devanagari script

नैवेद्यं तत्र दद्याद्वै मधुरैर्विविधैरपि । अथवा चैव माषान्नैस्तोषयेच्च सदाशिवम्

Transliteration

naivedyaṃ tatra dadyādvai madhurairvividhairapi | athavā caiva māṣānnaistoṣayecca sadāśivam

Translation

അവിടെ വിവിധ മധുര നൈവേദ്യങ്ങൾ നിർബന്ധമായി അർപ്പിക്കണം; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ മാഷാന്നം (ഉഴുന്ന് അന്നം) അർപ്പിച്ച് സദാശിവനെ തൃപ്തിപ്പെടുത്തണം.

Word by Word

• naivedyam: food offering (naivedya)
• naivedyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naivedya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tatra: there/in that rite
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• dadyāt: should offer/give
• dadyāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/assurance

• madhuraiḥ: with sweet (items)
• madhuraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; used adjectivally

• vividhaiḥ: with various (items)
• vividhaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; used adjectivally

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), 'also/even'

• athavā: or else
• athavā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: Alternative conjunction (विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• māṣa-annaiḥ: with black-gram rice/food
• māṣa-annaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; tatpuruṣa 'food of black-gram' (māṣānna)

• toṣayet: should please/satisfy
• toṣayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tuṣ (तुष् धातु) [causative]
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular; causative stem toṣay- 'cause to be pleased'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• sadā-śivam: Sadāśiva
• sadā-śivam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sadā (अव्यय) + śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; karmadhāraya 'ever-auspicious' as proper name

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a site-specific (sthala) narration here; the verse gives general pūjā-vidhi: pleasing Sadāśiva through naivedya, emphasizing bhakti and proper upacāra rather than a particular Jyotirliṅga legend.

Significance: Frames worship as accessible: even simple, sattvika food-offerings (including māṣānna) can become a means of Śiva-prasāda and devotional intimacy.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sadashiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Sadāśiva is pleased by sincere bhakti expressed through simple, sattvic offerings—either sweet naivedya or a humble māṣa-based meal—showing that devotion, not extravagance, is primary.

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

Naivedya is a key upacāra in Saguna worship of the Shiva-Linga, where the devotee serves the Lord as present and approachable; the offering becomes sanctified (prasāda) and reinforces the devotee–Pati relationship central to Shaiva Siddhanta.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Linga-pūjā with naivedya offering—especially sweets or māṣānna—while maintaining purity and devotion; accompany it with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and conclude by receiving prasāda as Shiva’s grace.