Shloka 23

Śivapūjā-stuti: Deva-Ṛṣi-Paramparāyāṃ Śaṃkara-caritasya Prastāvaḥ

Prelude to Śaṃkara’s narrative and the lineage of Śiva-worship

Devanagari script

प्रियव्रतश्च तत्पुत्रास्तथा चोत्तानपात्सुतः । तद्वंशाश्चैव राजानश्शिवपूजनकारकाः

Transliteration

priyavrataśca tatputrāstathā cottānapātsutaḥ | tadvaṃśāścaiva rājānaśśivapūjanakārakāḥ

Translation

Priyavrata dan putera-puteranya, demikian juga putera Uttānapāda; serta para raja yang lahir dalam keturunan mereka—semuanya adalah pelaksana pemujaan kepada Śiva dengan penuh kesetiaan.

Word by Word

• प्रियव्रतः: Priyavrata
• प्रियव्रतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रियव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (proper name)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• तत्-पुत्राः: his sons
• तत्-पुत्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य पुत्राः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/रीति-अर्थे (also)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• उत्तानपात्-सुतः: son of Uttānapāda
• उत्तानपात्-सुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तानपात् (प्रातिपदिक; नाम) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (उत्तानपातस्य सुतः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• तत्-वंशाः: his descendants
• तत्-वंशाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य वंशाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (indeed/just)

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• शिव-पूजन-कारकाः: performers of Śiva-worship
• शिव-पूजन-कारकाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक) + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (शिवस्य पूजनं कुर्वन्ति इति); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural qualifying राजानः

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse functions as a dynastic catalogue (vaṃśānucarita) highlighting exemplary royal lineages who maintained Śiva-pūjā; it is not tied to a single liṅga-sthala narrative.

Significance: Frames Śiva-worship as a royal dharma that yields both worldly stability and spiritual merit, encouraging devotees to emulate kingly steadiness (dhruvatā) in pūjā.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Priyavrata
• Uttanapada

FAQs

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

It presents Śiva-bhakti as a dharmic ideal upheld even by great royal lineages—teaching that sincere pūjā to Pati (Śiva) purifies the pashu (individual) and supports both worldly order and liberation-oriented merit.

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

By praising kings as “śivapūjanakārakāḥ,” the verse points to regular, embodied worship of Saguna Śiva—classically expressed in Śiva-pūjā to the Liṅga in tīrthas and temples, the central devotional mode emphasized in the Koṭirudrasaṃhitā’s pilgrimage framework.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is steadiness in daily Śiva-pūjā—offering water and bilva leaves to the Liṅga with mantra-japa (especially the Pañcākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), supported by simple Shaiva marks such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) where customary.