Shloka 36

मङ्गलपत्रिकाग्रहणम् — Reception of the Auspicious Marriage Invitation

Devanagari script

मातरस्सप्त तास्तत्र शिवभूषाविधिम्परम् । चक्रिरे च मुदा युक्ता यथायोग्यन्तथा पुनः

Transliteration

mātarassapta tāstatra śivabhūṣāvidhimparam | cakrire ca mudā yuktā yathāyogyantathā punaḥ

Translation

Ali, as sete Mães Divinas, cheias de júbilo, realizaram devidamente o rito supremo de adornar Śiva; e, em seguida, tornaram a dispor tudo corretamente, conforme o que era apropriado.

Word by Word

• mātaraḥ: mothers
• mātaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (प्रथमा/1st case), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन)

• sapta: seven
• sapta: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (प्रातिपदिक/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: Numeral adjective (संख्याविशेषण), Prathamā (प्रथमा), Bahuvacana-sāmānādhikaraṇya with mātaraḥ

• tāḥ: they (those women)
• tāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (प्रथमा), Bahuvacana; demonstrative pronoun

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (देशाव्यय/adverb of place)

• śiva-bhūṣā-vidhim: the procedure for Śiva’s adornment
• śiva-bhūṣā-vidhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (vidhi), Dvitīyā vibhakti (द्वितीया/2nd case), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: śivasya bhūṣāyāḥ vidhiḥ → śivabhūṣāvidhiḥ

• paramam: supreme/excellent
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (द्वितीया), Ekavacana; agrees with vidhim

• cakrire: they performed/did
• cakrire: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्/perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष/3rd person), Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (समुच्चय/ conjunction)

• mudā: with joy
• mudā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mud (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti (तृतीया/3rd case), Ekavacana; instrumental of manner

• yuktāḥ: engaged/associated
• yuktāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (कृदन्त; √yuj)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; used adjectivally for mātaraḥ/tāḥ (sense: ‘endowed/engaged’)

• yathā: as/according to
• yathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā/niyama-avyaya (यथा = ‘as/according to’)

• yogyam: properly/fitly
• yogyam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yogya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā (द्वितीया), Ekavacana; used adverbially with yathā (‘as is proper’)

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Prakāra-avyaya (प्रकार/adverb of manner)

• punaḥ: again/further
• punaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Kāla/āvṛtti-avyaya (पुनः = again/further)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The Saptamātṛkā motif belongs to Śaiva-Śākta ritual culture (protective and auspicious powers) and is here integrated into Śiva’s festival adornment, not a Jyotirliṅga narrative.

Significance: Affirms the legitimacy of Mātṛkā-upāsanā as ancillary to Śiva worship in many kṣetras; models ‘bhūṣā-vidhi’ (adornment) as a devotional upacāra.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Saptamatrikas

FAQs

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

It highlights that even the Divine Mothers express bhakti through disciplined, joyful seva—showing that correct worship (vidhi) offered with devotion purifies the mind and aligns the soul toward Śiva, the supreme Pati.

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

The verse emphasizes saguna-upāsanā—honoring Śiva through tangible acts like adornment and orderly ritual. Such external worship, done with right intent, supports inner contemplation of Śiva’s supreme reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā with yathāyogya-vidhi—cleanliness, proper offerings, and reverent adornment—while maintaining a joyful, concentrated mind; this can be paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).