Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 43

पूजाविधिः

Pūjā-vidhiḥ) — The Supreme Procedure of Worship (Morning Observances

Devanagari script

दीपं कृत्वा तदा तत्र नमस्कारं गुरोरथ । बध्वा पद्मासनं तत्र भद्रासनमथापि वा

Transliteration

dīpaṃ kṛtvā tadā tatra namaskāraṃ guroratha | badhvā padmāsanaṃ tatra bhadrāsanamathāpi vā

Translation

അവിടെ ദീപം തെളിയിച്ച ശേഷം ഗുരുവിന് ഭക്തിപൂർവ്വം നമസ്കരിക്കണം. പിന്നെ അവിടെ തന്നെ പദ്മാസനം കെട്ടി, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഭദ്രാസനത്തിൽ ഇരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• दीपं: a lamp
• दीपं: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made (lit)
• कृत्वा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having made/after making)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• नमस्कारं: salutation
• नमस्कारं: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गुरोः: of the guru
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• अथ: then/and next
• अथ: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक

• बध्वा: having assumed (bound)
• बध्वा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having bound/assumed)

• पद्म-आसनं: padmāsana posture
• पद्म-आसनं: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पद्मस्य आसनम्)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय

• भद्र-आसनं: bhadrāsana posture
• भद्र-आसनं: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (भद्रं आसनम्/भद्रनामकं आसनम्)

• अथ: or else/then
• अथ: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विकल्प/अनुक्रमार्थक

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ

• वा: or
• वा: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General pūjā preparation: light the lamp, bow to the Guru, then assume a stable meditative seat (padmāsana or bhadrāsana).

Significance: Affirms the Siddhānta emphasis on guru-upadeśa and disciplined posture as prerequisites for effective worship and reception of Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shaiva sādhanā begins with purity of intention—illumining the space with a lamp and surrendering ego through reverence to the Guru—then stabilizing the body in a steady posture for worship and japa.

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

Lighting the lamp and offering salutations are outer acts of devotion (saguna-upāsanā) that prepare the mind to focus on Shiva’s form—often the Liṅga—so the worship becomes concentrated and inwardly contemplative.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform dīpa-pradāna (lighting a lamp), do guru-namaskāra, then sit in Padmāsana or Bhadrāsana to begin steady dhyāna and mantra-japa (such as the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).