Shloka 55

पार्थिवार्चाविधिः | Pārthivārcā-vidhi

Procedure for the Earthen Liṅga Worship

Devanagari script

ततः साक्षतपुष्पाणि गृहीत्वांजलिना मुदा । प्रार्थयेच्छंकरं भक्त्या मंत्रैरेभिः सुभक्तितः

Transliteration

tataḥ sākṣatapuṣpāṇi gṛhītvāṃjalinā mudā | prārthayecchaṃkaraṃ bhaktyā maṃtrairebhiḥ subhaktitaḥ

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം അക്ഷതസഹിത പുഷ്പങ്ങൾ സന്തോഷത്തോടെ അഞ്ജലിയിൽ എടുത്ത്, ഈ മന്ത്രങ്ങളാൽ ശുദ്ധഭക്തിയോടെ ശങ്കരനോട് പ്രാർത്ഥിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla/Anukrama (काल/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of sequence)

• स-अक्षत-पुष्पाणि: (rice grains) and flowers
• स-अक्षत-पुष्पाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षत + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (अक्षतानि च पुष्पाणि च)

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• अञ्जलिना: with joined palms
• अञ्जलिना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्/मुदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रार्थयेत्: should pray/request
• प्रार्थयेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-अर्थ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शंकरम्: Śaṅkara
• शंकरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मन्त्रैः: with mantras
• मन्त्रैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• एभिः: with these
• एभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• सु-भक्तितः: through good devotion / devoutly
• सु-भक्तितः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सु + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from/through')

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva-worship procedure to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that Shiva responds foremost to bhakti: the offering (flowers and akṣata) becomes spiritually potent when made with joyful sincerity and mantra-guided prayer to Śaṅkara, the gracious Pati who bestows auspiciousness and liberation.

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

The verse describes a concrete, Saguna mode of worship—offering sacred items with añjali and mantras—typical of Liṅga-pūjā. Through such embodied devotion, the devotee approaches the transcendent Lord who can also be realized as Nirguṇa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Hold flowers with akṣata in añjali (cupped hands), maintain a devotional mind, and recite the prescribed mantras while praying to Shiva—emphasizing disciplined puja action joined with inner bhakti.