Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 59

लिङ्गपूजनसंक्षेपः

Concise Teaching on Liṅga Worship / Śiva-arcana-vidhi

Devanagari script

पात्रैश्च विविधैर्देवं स्नापयेच्च महेश्वरम् । मंत्रपूर्वं प्रकर्तव्या पूजा सर्वफलप्रदा

Transliteration

pātraiśca vividhairdevaṃ snāpayecca maheśvaram | maṃtrapūrvaṃ prakartavyā pūjā sarvaphalapradā

Translation

Dengan pelbagai jenis bejana, hendaklah dimandikan (abhiṣeka) Tuhan Ilahi Mahēśvara. Pemujaan (pūjā) wajib dilakukan berasaskan mantra; pūjā demikian menganugerahkan segala hasil yang mulia.

Word by Word

• पात्रैः: with vessels
• पात्रैः: Karana (करण/Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying pātraiḥ)

• देवम्: the god (deity)
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्यय (Causative), विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object, apposition to devam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (Great Lord)

• मन्त्र-पूर्वम्: with mantra as the preface
• मन्त्र-पूर्वम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial: preceded by mantra)

• प्रकर्तव्या: is to be performed
• प्रकर्तव्या: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative necessity)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कृ (धातु)
• Form: भविष्यत्कृदन्त/कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; -तव्य (to be done)

• पूजा: worship
• पूजा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• सर्व-फल-प्रदा: granting all results
• सर्व-फल-प्रदा: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (giver of all fruits/results), विशेषण (qualifying pūjā)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: General liṅga-snāpana instruction; while many Jyotirliṅga temples emphasize abhiṣeka with multiple vessels, this verse is not tied to a single sthala narrative.

Significance: Mantra-pūrvaka abhiṣeka is presented as sarvaphalapradā—granting comprehensive fruits; in Siddhānta, correct kriyā with mantra supports purification and eligibility for higher jñāna and Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that outer purification (abhisheka) becomes spiritually effective only when united with mantra and devotion—worship of Pati (Shiva) done with sacred sound yields complete, dharmic fruits and supports liberation-oriented bhakti.

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

Bathing Maheshvara points to Linga-abhisheka and Saguna upasana—approaching the formless Supreme through a sanctified form. The verse emphasizes that the rite should be mantra-led, aligning action (kriya) with consciousness (jñana/bhakti).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Shiva abhisheka using clean vessels and recite Shiva mantras—especially the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—making mantra the core of the pūjā rather than a mere accompaniment.