Shloka 38

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

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

Devanagari script

रामस्ससहजो नित्यं पार्थिवं समपूजयत् । भस्म रुद्राक्षधारी च विरजागममास्थितः

Transliteration

rāmassasahajo nityaṃ pārthivaṃ samapūjayat | bhasma rudrākṣadhārī ca virajāgamamāsthitaḥ

Translation

Rāma bersama saudaranya sentiasa memuja Liṅga Pārthiva (liṅga tanah) tanpa putus. Dengan mengenakan bhasma (abu suci) dan tasbih Rudrākṣa, baginda teguh dalam jalan Virajā menurut āgama—disiplin Śaiva yang murni, melampaui segala kekotoran.

Word by Word

• रामः: Rāma
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• सहजः: innate/natural (devotee)
• सहजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (रामः)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे नपुंसक-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverbial accusative)

• पार्थिवम्: earthen (liṅga)
• पार्थिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; (पार्थिवं लिङ्गम्—elliptic)

• सम्-अपूजयत्: worshipped
• सम्-अपूजयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भस्म: sacred ash
• भस्म: Anukta (अनुक्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (भस्मधारी—elliptic)

• रुद्राक्ष-धारी: wearing rudrākṣa beads
• रुद्राक्ष-धारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + धारी (कृदन्त; √धृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (णिनि/इन्-प्रत्ययार्थक), विशेषणम् (रामः)

• च: and
• च: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विरज-आगमम्: the Virajāgama (scripture)
• विरज-आगमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरज (प्रातिपदिक) + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• आस्थितः: having adopted/abiding in
• आस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √स्था (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Rāmeśvara

Sthala Purana: Rāma installs and worships a Śiva-liṅga to obtain Śiva’s grace and remove impediments before/after the Laṅkā campaign; the Purāṇic memory of Rāma’s liṅga-pūjā becomes the site’s legitimizing legend.

Significance: Liṅga-pūjā and tīrtha-snāna here are held to purify pāpa and strengthen bhakti; in Śaiva Siddhānta terms, it supports pāśa-kṣaya through śivapūjā and sadācāra.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rama
• Rudraksha
• Bhasma
• Linga

FAQs

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

It presents an ideal Shaiva sādhana: constant devotion to Shiva through Pārthiva Liṅga worship, supported by the purifying marks of bhasma and the sanctifying discipline of Rudrākṣa—signs of aligning the soul (paśu) toward Pati (Shiva) and liberation.

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

The Pārthiva Liṅga is a tangible Saguna support for devotion, enabling focused pūjā and surrender. Through such worship, the devotee approaches Shiva’s grace, which ultimately leads beyond form toward the highest purity taught in the āgamic path.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily Pārthiva Liṅga pūjā, wearing Rudrākṣa, and applying bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) as a Shaiva vow—ideally accompanied by japa such as the Pañcākṣarī mantra, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya.”